


Letters to the Editor

by grrriliketigers



Series: What Happens in Vegas [1]
Category: Mamma Mia! (2008), The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-04
Updated: 2013-04-03
Packaged: 2017-12-07 10:19:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 19
Words: 34,540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/747396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grrriliketigers/pseuds/grrriliketigers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Donna and Miranda meet up by chance at The Sands hotel in Las Vegas and have a very memorable vacation.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Miranda Priestly had arrived in Las Vegas earlier that day and had checked into the Sands promptly at 3. She was researching the hotel for a photo shoot. She had elected to go personally because the girls were with their father and she was still missing Andy. She felt that she could do with a vacation, free of _Runway_ staff and fiery, argumentative 11-year-olds.

She sat in her room with a lap full of work and finally decided at 8 that it might be a good time for dinner. Characteristically, she brought her work to dinner and sat in golden silence with a plate of steamed clams.

Though it was nice to go on a vacation without her children, she'd be damned if she didn't miss them already. That wasn't to say that the three of them spent that much time doing things together, but Miranda made sure to wake them every morning and make time for them whenever possible.

She pulled out her iPhone and started to review some pictures Nigel sent her of Dior's new line when the phone rang and she looked at the caller id: Caroline.

Miranda smiled and answered the phone, "hello Kitten,"

"Hey mom!" Caroline greeted enthusiastically.

"What are you doing awake, isn't it... 3:30 in the morning?"

"I'm still kind of jet lagged." Caroline said, "plus I missed you and I wanted to call you. It seemed so sad, you taking a vacation all by yourself."

"Oh nonsense, I am going to get so much work done. I am going to lounge by the pool with a book. But I miss you too, and your sister."

Caroline paused, she'd seemed worried about her mother ever since she'd signed her third set of divorce papers. She wondered if her mother's icy façade was going to melt and if she was actually as okay as she claimed to be.

"Bobsie, I'm fine." Miranda smiled, knowing exactly what Caroline was thinking. "You worry too much, you are going to turn into a little worry wart, you know that?"

"Mom, for real, come on."

" _For real_ , Caroline, I expect you to enjoy your vacation, your grandmother loves to see you, your father is going to take you by there, isn't he?"

"Yeah, tomorrow." 

"Well, you better get to sleep so you'll be awake for all those relentless questions about school and grades and boys that she'll have for you."

Caroline giggled a little.

"That's my girl." Miranda smiled, "and you have the little package I gave you for grandmother?"

"In my suitcase."

"I love you, bobsie, and give my love to your sister."

"Can I tell dad you say hi?"

Miranda sighed inwardly, "yes, you can even tell your father that I said hello."

"Have a good night, mom, and I love you too."

"Have a good day, baby." Miranda smiled and ended the call.

She sighed. She wasn't quite as okay with her third divorce as she told the twins she was... but she wasn't nearly as torn up as they thought she was. She was walking a fine, breakable line.

She looked at the remnants of her dinner and across the table at an empty chair.

Miranda decided it was time for a drink. 

After the bill for dinner was settled she wandered through the casino towards the bar. She scowled at the loud bells and whistles sounding off as she passed, the incessant talking wearing on her nerves. 

Just when she thought she couldn't take it anymore she stepped into the bar. She sat down on one of the stools, it was plush purple velvet, a little tacky.

An inebriated blond plunked down onto the seat next to her. "Let me buy you a drink." She grinned.

Miranda leaned back a bit and took in her appearance critically. Then she grinned a little, "win big at the tables, did you?"

"Yesss." She drew out the s. 

"Then let me buy you a drink." Miranda hailed the waiter. "I would like a Mojito and could I get a cup of coffee for my new friend?"

"It's kind of silly to buy your alcohol here," the blond slurred.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, in the casino," she paused to cough a little, "in the casino they just give you alcohol." 

"I believe I have found the root of your problem. They give you more drinks when you start winning so that you'll be less careful with your money." Miranda was amused, "you have a hold of all your winnings? You weren't tricked out of all your little chips?"

"Not a one." The blond grinned and opened her handbag to show Miranda her loot. 

"Why don't we take our drinks to go," Miranda said once they were set down. "Charge these to room 177, please." 

The blond picked up her coffee. 

"What is your name?" Miranda asked.

"I am Donna." 

"Hello Donna. I'm Miranda."

"That'sa pretttty name." Donna smiled.

"Thank you," Miranda smiled indulgently, "what room are you staying in?"

"Um... I don't know?"

"Do you have your key?" 

Donna shook her head, looking worried.

"Don't worry, we can ask the front desk what your room number is, Donna."

"You're good people, Miranda, I haven't met very nice people here in the states but you're good persons."

Miranda scoffed. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been complimented like that. 

The front desk told them that they were sorry but no one under the name of Donna Sheridan had a room registered to them.

Donna frowned.

Miranda sighed. She looked at her phone to see that it was already almost 1. Donna was still unsteady on her feet and looked very lost.

"Well, I'm not going to just let you wander around the hotel all night. You can come up to my room for the night and we can figure out where you belong in the morning. Okay?"

Donna nodded pitifully.

The ride in the elevator was silent and Miranda ushered Donna into her suite. 

"There's just the one bed." Miranda pulled off her shoes, "I don't mind sharing, if you don't."

"S'fine." Donna waved away her concerns.

Miranda went into the bathroom to put her pyjamas on and when she reentered the bedroom Donna was curled up on the left side of the bed, facing the middle.

Miranda pursed her lips against an bemused smile. 

The next morning the sun streamed through the window, bathing Donna Sheridan in a warm light. She blinked a few times and winced, squeezing her eyes shut again.

She nuzzled Miranda's hair and Donna's eyes shot open. Sometime during the middle of the night she had scooted up to Miranda, wrapped her arms around her waist and apparently buried her face in her hair.

Donna carefully extracted herself. 

She retrieved her shoes and her handbag and started looking around for a pen and paper.

Miranda stretched out and yawned. "Donna?"

"Miranda," Donna slipped her left shoe onto her foot, "I was going to write you a note. I'm so sorry about last night."

"No, no. It was nice to have company. How do you feel? I wanted you to drink some water before you went to bed, but you passed out."

"You sound like a mother." 

Miranda smiled and nodded.

"Yeah, my head isn't feeling perfect..." Donna ducked her head shyly, "thank you for taking care of me last night."

"Do you know where your room is now?"

"Yeah, I'm staying with my friends. They have the two keys so... that's why I didn't have one. I'm so embarrassed."

"Happens to the best of us." Miranda smiled charmingly. "Hey, I never sleep with someone without treating them to breakfast."

"Oh, tempting though that may be, I have to find my friends... but I'm free for lunch... if the offer is transferable?" 

Miranda nodded, "of course. Shall we say one? In the dining room?" 

Donna smiled, "yeah, I'll be there."

Tonya and Rosie paced the room, "alright, well, we shouldn't panic." Tonya said, "Donna's smart... she'll... she's okay... right?"

"Lots of bad things can happen to smart women, Tonya!" Rosie yelled.

"No, no, we were all drunk last night. She's... she probably just fell asleep in the casino. _Why_ didn't we give her one of the keys."

"Because we thought you were going shitfaced and need to find your way back."

"And we thought you were going to knock off at 7:30!" Tonya shot.

"Look, this isn't getting us anywhere. Although, obviously we've hit on a sore subject." Rosie glared. "Let's do something proactive."

Tonya picked up the phone. "Has a Donna Sheridan been... found in the casino?" Tonya waited and listened, "oh? ...Another woman... what other woman? ...oh. Thank you."

"What did he say?"

"She and another woman asked the front desk if Donna Sheridan was registered. And, obviously, there wasn't, since the reservation is under my name."

"What other woman? And then what?"

"I don't know the answers to either of those questions!" Tonya rolled her eyes.

"Well, come on." Rosie ran over to the door and yanked it open.

"Whoa!" Donna threw her arms up, "I come in peace."

"Donna!" Rosie shouted.

"Jesus Christ, Donna," Tonya grabbed her and pulled her into the room, she hugged her tightly. Donna coughed, "what the hell were you thinking?"

"I was thinking that if I got really drunk off wine I would remember what room I was in or at the very least who I was with. But apparently that isn't the case, as both facts eluded me last night."

"We were worried sick!" Tonya fussed.

"I'm sorry," Donna shrugged, "I need aspirin though." 

"Where did you stay last night? What did you do? Who was the other woman?" Rosie asked.

Donna frowned, opened her pill container, threw an aspirin into her mouth and dry swallowed, "how did you know about the woman?"

"We called the front desk."

"The other woman's name is Miranda and she was kind enough to let me stay in her room last night." Donna dropped herself onto the bed, "now please, don't ask me anymore questions until my head stops pounding."

"I don't recall inviting you to lunch." Donna teased her compadres as they dogged her into the dining room.

"Don't get defensive, we just want to meet your gallant rescuer. We owe her a debt of gratitude." Tonya teased.

Donna walked up to the podium and smiled at the maitre'd, "I'm meeting Miranda Priestly."

"Yes ma'am, Ms. Priestly is not here yet, I will gladly seat you." The maitre'd picked up two menus and glanced at a dumbstruck Tonya and Rosie. "I thought there were only two of you..."

"There are, they aren't staying."

"Miranda _Priestly?!_ " Tonya demanded.

"White hair? Cut short?" Rosie asked, eyes wide.

"Impeccably dressed?"

"Yeah, that's her. Do you two know her?" Donna was surprised.

"Know her? No, no... heard of her? Absolutely, yes." Tonya was still staring at Donna in disbelief. "I went to a gala in New York with my... second husband and Miranda Priestly was there and... wow, it was certainly a sight to behold."

"My publisher is obsessed with her, she runs a New York fashion magazine. Before she took over it was just a minor rag and now it's the biggest fashion magazine in the world." Rosie gawked, "I can't believe you met Miranda Priestly."

A hush came over the room and the trio of dynamos looked up as Miranda Priestly entered the dining room. 

Miranda was dressed to the nines, her silky white Prada blouse and a black Chanel pencil skirt, belted with a wide red belt. She looked over at Donna and gave a little nod as the maitre'd walked her over to the table.

"Good afternoon, Donna." She looked at Tonya and Rosie, "friends of yours?"

"Yes, these are the friends that lost me in the casino last night."

"Lost, well..." Tonya scuffed her shoes.

"I wouldn't say we _lost_ her exactly..." Rosie looked away.

"They were just leaving though." Donna gave them each a little shove.

Tonya held out her hand, "it is such an honor to meet you."

Miranda took in Tonya's outfit before reaching out and shaking her hand, "likewise."

"I will see you two later." Donna said pointedly and with only a little bit of fawning, Tonya and Rosie found their way out of the dining room.

Miranda smirked amusedly. 

"I feel kind of embarrassed."

"You shouldn't, I get recognized all the time." Miranda assured. 

"No, I mean I'm embarrassed that I don't know who you are." Donna admitted.

"You know... I think that's my favorite thing about you." Miranda gave Donna a small smile.


	2. Chapter 2

Miranda decided that it was perfect weather to relax by the pool with the book and her ergonomically designed pen. 

Miranda had brought four bathing suits with her. Three one piece suits and one two-piece. After much deliberation Miranda decked herself out in the midnight blue one piece and wrapped a sarong around her waist.

She slipped on her Dior sunglasses and took up roots on one of the many poolside lounge chairs. 

Donna Sheridan also thought that a morning by the pool was a good idea and she started looking for a chair.

When she spotted one she noticed that her new friend was sitting on the chair next to it. 

"That doesn't look very vacationy." Donna smiled, sitting down and nodding towards Miranda's notes.

Miranda looked up and the corners of her lips twitched in a smile. "Well, I'm sort of on a working vacation." 

"Wow, I really didn't let you get a word in edgewise at lunch yesterday, did I?" Donna blushed, realizing that Miranda hadn't even gotten to mention the nature of her vacation.

Miranda smiled a little more widely, "I enjoyed hearing you talk about your daughter and your hotel."

"You promised you'd tell me more about your daughters."

Miranda nodded and laid the book down. "Ah, yes, my monsters. Caroline and Cassidy. They're very fickle. I suppose that's my fault. I'm trying to get them interested in an after school activity, but there seems to be nothing that they like."

"How old are they?"

"Fourteen, they're just finishing up their freshman year of high school."

"I remember that age." Donna laughed, "that was just about the age that Sophie started thinking she was _my_ mother."

Miranda nodded, "I recently got divorced and Caroline's trying to take care of me."

"I'm sorry about your divorce."

Miranda shrugged, "it's my third. I should be used to it."

"You sound like my friend Tonya."

"All of my husbands felt threatened, they wanted me to feel guilty for working. As if they'd have thought I had any right to ask them to work less if the situation were reversed." Miranda pursed her lips, "like there's something so wrong about an ambitious woman."

"That sounds less like my friend Tonya."

"And yourself? I noticed you're not wearing a wedding ring, nor do you have a ring line."

Donna looked down at her hand, "that obvious?"

"I'm a fashion director." Miranda smiled amusedly.

"I've never been married. I got pregnant at 20 and I've basically been celibate ever since." 

"Dear lord, why?" Miranda looked concerned.

Donna laughed, "well, Sophie's father wasn't around and I lived on the island and it was all I could to raise a daughter and run a hotel that dating seemed impossible... or at least unimportant."

Miranda nodded a little, "I don't do much dating. I met my husbands through mutual friends." She stopped to consider her words, "acquaintances, I guess. Last time I counted, I don't think I have any friends." 

"Well, from my count you have at least one."

Miranda raised an eyebrow. "Who's that?"

"Me." Donna grinned and Miranda smiled despite herself. 

Tonya got out of the shower and looked around. Rosie was sitting at the desk typing away madly.

Tonya pulled her shirt on over her bathing suit. "Writing another travel book?" She leaned over Rosie's shoulder.

Rosie put her hands up in front of the laptop monitor, "back off, I'm skyping with Bill."

"Skyping?" Tonya grimaced, "sounds gross, why are you doing it in our room?" 

"It's internet chatting, you do it with a webcam and a microphone." Rosie explained, sounding somewhat impatient.

"Why are you covering the monitor? Is he naked or something?" Tonya laughed.

"No, I'm just trying to have a private conversation, that's all." 

"Where's Donna?"

"Hanging out with her new best friend, of course." Rosie laughed a little.

"Again?"

"Are you worried that she's found a friend who's more of a diva than you are?"

"Har dee har har." Tonya laughed. 

"The good news is that there is no one who is more of a diva than you are." Rosie grinned. 

"I haven't seen her since last night." 

"Why don't you go down to the pool and see if you can pick up husband number five." Rosie asked.

"While I detest the implication... I am going to go down and show off my bathing suit."

"And your new breasts." 

Tonya grinned, "well, obviously."

Miranda and Donna swept into the the Bellagio. The manager ushered them into their conference room, "now that you've seen the facilities you can use the conference room to discuss." The manager handed Donna a card, "please keep the Bellagio in mind for your photoshoot. Thank you."

"Lighting could be better, make a note."

Donna picked up the little notebook she was using and started to write.

"I'm sorry, you don't really have to listen to me," Miranda apologized, "I'm just really used to travelling with an assistant."

"Isn't that why I came? To assist?"

"To assisst. To assisst as a friend not as my assisstant."

"Eh. I like working, whenever I try to do nothing I get very antsy. I like working and this is fun." Donna flashed a sweet smile.

Miranda felt herself swoon a little. "So what did you think of the Bellagio?"

"I think it was just as nice as the Monte Carlo but I liked it better."

Miranda nodded, "the lights are better and the colors are more varied, more opportunity for different dresses in different colors."

Donna shifted from one foot to the other.

"Are you tired? We can go if you like, I'm done. We've seen eight hotels and I have notes on all of them and I still have 5 more days."

"Only if you're sure you're done."

"I'm sure." Miranda nodded definitively. "I could use a lie down myself."

They were quiet in the cab ride back to the Sands. It gave Miranda time to reflect. What she liked about Donna was that she didn't have to try to impress her, or to try to intimidate her. On top of that, Donna wasn't expecting Miranda to be anything.

She felt like a normal person. 

When she was a normal person, she detested it, but in the last few years the glitter of the woman-on-top seemed to fade and she longed to be a normal person. She also longed to be able to work forever. It was what she loved. It gave her meaning and purpose. 

Perhaps, though, it wasn't enough. 

It was easy to talk to Donna. Donna was beautiful and loving and intelligent. She reminded her of Andy in some ways. A little rough around the edges but sharp and sweet. 

Caroline and Cassidy told Miranda that they worried about her. Though Miranda felt that there was cause to worry - she was unhappy, plain and simple - that wasn't a burden she wanted to fall onto her children's shoulders. It was heavy enough for Miranda and she'd had a lot more practice carrying it.

Being around Donna had made Miranda happier than she'd been in a long time. She relished in her company and basked in Donna's goodness.

Back at the Sands, Donna and Miranda walked up to Miranda's suite. 

"I had a lot of fun." Donna said.

"Me too." Miranda said softly. "Would you like to come in?"

"Aren't you tired?"

Miranda shrugged. 

"I'd like to come in." Donna nodded.

The air conditioning in the room hit them as soon as they walked through the door. Miranda smiled into the cool air and tossed her sunglasses onto the chair. 

Miranda sat down on the bed, "join me?"

Donna smiled sweetly and laid back on the bed, snuggling into one of the pillows. Miranda smirked shyly and laid down, facing her.

"I think you're the nicest person I've met in the United States." Donna announced after watching Miranda for a few silent moments.

Miranda snorted a laugh. "Clearly my reputation doesn't precede me. People call me a cold, heartless, ice queen. And that's just the people who _like_ me."

Donna shook her head, "that's not really who you are."

"How do you know?" Miranda looked away.

"Because I just... _know_ that I'm seeing the real you. And if everyone saw you the way I see you everyone would love you." Donna whispered.

A shiver ran down Miranda's spine and let out a soft breath.

"Miranda?" Donna licked her lips. "Would you be mad if I kissed you?"

"Honestly, " Miranda breathed, "I'd be sad if you didn't."


	3. Chapter 3

Miranda stretched out her long lean body and looked over at Donna. Donna was still asleep, curled up in the shape she'd been in when spooning Miranda, her face shoved in the pillow in a protest against the rising sun.

"Oh my god," Miranda murmured, unable to believe the feelings that she was having. 

"Mm?" Donna yawned and rubbed her eyes, "d'you say s'mthing?" 

"No," Miranda kissed Donna's forehead, "I was just admiring you."

"Oh stop." Donna grinned, "you're a horrible, horrible flatterer."

"I'm kind of new to vacation romances." Miranda admitted, "I'm kind of bad at romances. I don't have any intention of being insensitive or a jerk, it usually happens anyway though. I just... I don't want it to happen, okay?"

"Okay," Donna kissed her lips, "you don't have to make any apologies to me." 

"I just... you're different, Donna. You're different from everyone else I've ever known and I want to treat you right." 

"You're off to a great start," Donna wrapped her arms around Miranda's neck and pulled her closer. "Have you ever heard the expression que sera, sera?"

"Of course." 

"Well, whatever happens is meant to happen." 

Miranda scoffed a little.

"I didn't used to believe that but I've been thinking about it more and more over my years in Greece. I can curse the fact that I got pregnant and that all three of the men in my life left me. But because those things happened I have my wonderful daughter, I have my hotel, things I couldn't have had if things hadn't gone wrong first. Things happen the way they happen for a reason." Donna said very definitively. "I really believe that."

"Well," Miranda said, thinking about what Donna said. "I suppose." 

"You have to think about it for a bit and then it'll feel like an epiphany."

Miranda let out a soft throaty giggle, "I'll take your word for it." 

"You'd better," Donna flipped Miranda over and covered her body with her own and kissed her. Miranda wrapped her arms around her and returned the kisses.

Tonya woke up when Rosie flopped down onto the bed. Rosie scowled and pushed her sleep mask up. " _Whaaaaat_?" 

"We are minus one Donna again this morning." Rosie grinned. 

"No kidding?" Tonya looked around. "I think this time we can assume where she is, don't you?" 

"Think she got lucky?"

"With a man or with Miranda Priestly?" 

Rosie shrugged, "does it matter?"

"Does Donna sleep with women? Does _Miranda Priestly_?"

"Well, I hadn't heard anything either way. And Donna? Anything can happen, right? They really clicked, they've been inseparable."

"Maybe." Tonya shrugged. "Did you have to wake me up for this? What time is it?"

"Oh quit your belly aching, it's almost 11 and I'm bored." Rosie sat back.

"Want to go shopping today?" Tonya grinned.

"Duh!" 

Tonya hooted and shoved the covers back, hauling herself out of bed and heading for the bathroom, "give me 20 minutes."

The door opened and Donna came into the room. 

"Donna!" Rosie grinned, "I want details."

"Rosie," Donna blushed. 

"You can't fool me with your wrinkled clothes."

"You got a little somethin' somethin,' you shady lady!" Tonya couldn't stop from grinning at her best friend. "Good for you, you really needed to get laid."

Donna blushed even harder, "I didn't get... _laid_."

"There's nothing wrong with vacation sex as long as you're safe." 

"Really, we didn't have sex, we just made out and cuddled."

"Lame!" Tonya smirked playfully.

"Oh shut up." Rosie hushed Tonya, "not everything's about sex. Maybe Donna and Miranda Priestly have something more special than sex."

"What's more special than sex?" Tonya curled her lip.

Rosie gave Tonya a playful push and she fell over the bed backwards, she got up, giving Rosie a little glare.

"I feel bad that we took this vacation together and I'm spending all my time with Miranda."

"Hey, que sera sera, right?" Tonya smiled, "we're always going to be your Dynamos and you don't have to worry about us. We're going to go shopping today. We're going to have an absolutely horrible time without you, of course, but we'll try not to break down weeping or anything."

Miranda had just gotten out of the shower and was toweling her short silver hair when her cell phone rang. 

_Cassidy_

"Hello Bob," Miranda answered the phone with a smile. "How's London?"

"Well, dad took a right turn right into on-coming traffic and swerved back into the left lane."

"Are you alright?" Miranda panicked.

"Yeah, yeah, we're alright, he just sideswiped a tree." Cassidy said flippantly. 

"You tell him that if anything happens to so much as a hair on either of your heads he'll regret it to his dying day, which may not be very long from now."

"I think he feels the sentiment." Cassidy laughed.

"Any other death defying stunts since last we talked?" 

"Just a visit to grandmas." Cassidy grinned, "she has those four little corgis and that was kind of death defying. She says hello and she wanted me to bring you a pie but I told her it wouldn't be allowed on the airplane, so I saved you from a grandmother pie."

"You're an angel." 

"You sound cheery." 

"Do I?" 

"Yeah, after you stopped threatening Dad with death there was a spike in cheeriness. I do realize that plotting dad's demise does give you a bit of a lift but it was different." Cassidy giggled. 

"Well, I'm soaking up all the western sunshine, who wouldn't be cheerier?" 

"I love you mom."

"I love you too, Bob." Miranda smiled.

"I have to go, the tow truck is here and dad's beckoning. Caroline said she'd call you later."

"Okay, give her my love too."

"And the death thing to dad, right?"

"Right." Miranda laughed.

Cassidy hung up, smiling, it was nice to hear her mother's laugh. 

Miranda dug out her black Prada dress and slipped into it, choosing her shoes and her jewelry accordingly. She picked up the phone and called the extension in Donna's room. 

"Will you join me for dinner?"


	4. Chapter 4

Donna stood in front of the mirror in the hotel room. Tonya twisted her around in front of it and Donna scowled. "Tonya, stop it!" 

"I'm just trying to see it from all angles." 

"Why can't I just wear my own dress?" Donna protested.

"On a dinner date with the biggest fashion mogul in the world?" Tonya stared at her.

"She hasn't complained about my clothing so far. Why should she care now?" 

"I think what our darling Donna is trying to say," Rosie grinned, joining her two friends in front of the mirror, "is that it doesn't matter what clothes she puts on because Miranda is just going to take it off!" 

"Guys!" Donna blushed deeply. 

Miranda went down to the dining room half an hour early to wait. Donna had wanted to go down early but Tonya insisted she ought to be fashionably late. Tonya finally agreed to allow Donna to go down on time after much hemming and hawing.

Miranda stood when the maitre'd led Donna to the table. "You look nice."

Donna smiled and looked down at the dress, rolling her eyes a little, "the dress is Tonya's, she made me wear it." Donna smoothed the fabric out, "are my normal clothes hideous?"

"Why would you ask that?"

"It was just something Tonya said. I mean, she didn't actually call them hideous... but you know."

"You're so beautiful. Your clothes are great." Miranda said, "you could wear a potato sac and you'd still be stunning." 

Donna laughed and sat down. " _Flatterer_. But don't stop." Donna batted her eyelashes playfully.

After dinner Miranda invited Donna up to her suite. Donna graciously accepted. 

Donna stepped out onto Miranda's balcony and looked up at the stars. "It's so beautiful out tonight." 

Miranda smiled and joined her on the balcony. "Would you like to go for a walk?"

"No," Donna wrapped her arms around Miranda's neck, "I think I'd prefer to just kiss you here." 

Miranda smiled against Donna's lips, gladly returning the kisses. 

Donna ran her hands up Miranda's arms and slipped the straps down her arms and rubbed her shoulders, eliciting a soft moan from Miranda. 

Miranda ran her hands up Donna's back and splayed her nails over the exposed skin above the cut of the dress. "It's a nice dress." Miranda kissed Donna's shoulder, "but it's not really you." 

"Maybe you should take it off then," Donna whispered, her eyes dark with desire.

"Maybe," Miranda said breathily. Miranda slowly pulled the zipper down on the dress and it pooled around Donna's feet. Miranda let out a soft sigh.

The corners of Donna's lips twitched in a smile. It was intoxicating to be so desired and wanted and Miranda was feeding the inebriation. Donna stepped out of the dress and towards Miranda, cupping her cheeks and kissing her deeply.

Miranda held her close, feeling every possible inch of her skin that she could reach. She squeezed her ass and Donna moaned; Miranda wasn't sure if she was going to make it or if she would just melt into a puddle right then and there.

Her thoughts were reeled back in when Donna started to ease Miranda's dress down. Miranda obligingly helped. 

They stood there on the balcony absorbing the image of the other's body for a few moments before Donna shivered a little.

"Are you cold?" Miranda asked with concern.

"A little," she smiled a little. 

"Let's see what we can do to warm you up," Miranda took her hand and led her inside and towards the bed.

Donna laid down and melted into the pillows. Donna patted the bed next to her, "join me?"

Miranda nodded, "I'm just admiring your figure."

Donna put her hands over her stomach shyly. 

Miranda climbed onto the bed and gently pulled her hands away, "don't do that." Miranda leaned down and kissed the soft skin. "You're beautiful."

Donna ran a hand over Miranda's stomach, "you're in very good shape."

"So are you," Miranda grinned, "your body is so beautiful." 

Donna pulled Miranda down into a kiss. "I'm so nervous," Donna admitted, kissing Miranda again, "I haven't had sex in _so_ long. And I've never had sex with a woman,"

"I haven't either." Miranda assured, "and it's been quite a while since I've had sex,"

"You were married though,"

"You've clearly never been married." Miranda bit her lip against laughing at her joke. Donna broke into a grin and pulled Miranda to her again.

"God, you're so beautiful." Donna ran her hands over Miranda's skin, "you're so soft and touchable and beautiful." 

Miranda mmmed and nipped at Donna's neck, eliciting a soft moan.

Donna's fingers maneuvered down Miranda's stomach and gently ran her fingers through her pubic hair and down to rub her clit.

Miranda moaned, grabbing a fistful of the sheets. Donna grinned and rubbed the tip of her finger in tight little circles over her clit, making Miranda squirm.

"God..." Miranda breathed, "God..."

"You're gorgeous, Miranda," Donna sucked one of Miranda's earlobes.

Miranda arched her back, "would you use your fingers inside me?" She whispered.

Donna nodded with a grin and kissed Miranda before pushing two fingers up into Miranda. Miranda moaned into the kiss, arching her back and writhing against Donna's body. 

Donna moaned with Miranda, her arousal going through the roof. "God Miranda,"

Miranda bucked her hips into Donna's fingers, "Donna, Donna..." 

Donna added a third finger, curling her fingers upwards to press into the extra sensitive tissue. 

Miranda's eyes shot open and her moans became more desperate. "Oh God, Oh God..." She arched her back at a near impossible angle and cried out as she reached critical mass. 

Miranda reached down and pulled Donna's fingers out as she collapsed on the bed, "oh God..." she murmured, trying to regain feeling in her extremities and hoping to regain her mental facilities. 

Donna grinned indelibly, watching her new lover recover. She thought how wonderful it was to have sex like this. She could see exactly what it was doing to Miranda without the distraction of being the recipient as well. (Not that being the recipient wasn't a wonderful distraction)

Miranda opened her eyes and saw Donna grinning and grinned back, "what are you grinning at?"

"You."

"Oh yeah?" 

"Yeah."

Miranda moved so her body was covering Donna's. Donna grinned and leaned up and kissed Miranda. 

"I want to make you scream." Miranda whispered. 

Donna moaned, "go for it." 

Miranda kissed and sucked gently on Donna's neck and moved down her breast bone. She cupped her breasts and took one nipple into her mouth and sucked.

Donna let out a long low moan, "Jesus..."

Miranda moved to the other nipple and elicited a similar reaction. She grinned against her skin and teased the nipple with the tip of her nose.

Miranda's lips and teeth latched on to the underside of Donna's breast until she'd left her a deep red hickey. 

Miranda looked up and Donna grinned. 

Miranda was spurred on; she wanted nothing more than to consume Donna whole. She was also determined to make it last and not skip anything. She peppered Donna's stomach with kisses and little nips until Donna was writhing and rolling her hips encouragingly.

Miranda sat up and moved down. Instead of going for Donna's center, she started to kiss and nip her inner thighs.

"Miranda, please..." Donna's voice quivered. 

Miranda dipped down and dragged her tongue along Donna's clit and Donna cried out. Miranda swirled her tongue around the sensitive nub and softly sucked on it.

Donna cried out again as an orgasm coursed through her. 

Miranda looked up at her, "that was fast."

"I told you," Donna said sheepishly, "it's been a very long time since I've had sex." 

"Well," Miranda grinned, "one of the wonders of the female body is multiple orgasms."

"I knew there was a reason I liked being a woman..." Donna grinned. Donna arched her back when Miranda suddenly pushed two fingers into her. "Jesus, Jesus..."

Miranda curled her fingers and pushed; harder, deeper. 

Donna rolled her hips with Miranda's fingers, moaning deeply and arching her back. The orgasm was building again but it was holding off. Miranda moaned, reveling in enjoying Donna enjoying herself. "God, you're so sexy," Miranda moaned breathily.

"Miranda!" Donna gasped, Miranda's words driving her over the edge again. Her eyes squeezed shut, her back arched and her heart racing. 

Miranda covered her body with her own and captured her lips, kissing her deeply. Donna's arms wrapped around Miranda's waist and held her tightly before she felt that her arms couldn't possibly function any longer.

Miranda dropped down next to her and nuzzled her hair. Donna turned on her side and pulled Miranda in for a kiss. "You're so beautiful," Donna whispered.

Miranda squeezed her eyes shut when she felt them well up. She silently cursed herself for crying. Donna reached up and gently wiped the tears from her cheeks. "Miranda, what's wrong?" She whispered.

"I'm..." Miranda struggled to verbalize, "I'm just... _happy_." _And that scares me because this has to end..._


	5. Chapter 5

Miranda and Donna were both early risers but it turned out that Miranda was an even earlier riser. She put on her robe and went out to sit on her balcony. 

She turned her Blackberry around in her hand a few times before waking it up and pulling up the internet and googling Donna. 

The website for Villa Donna came up second and the first thing that came up was an article about Donna and the Dynamos, complete with pictures of the three of them in brightly colored spandex. Miranda saved all the pictures of Donna.

Miranda felt melancholic after looking at the pictures when she felt a pang of sadness. The vacation was over in three days and then what?

They each had an island to return to. Running the risk of a very cliché metaphor, Miranda thought, she felt very much like an island. She felt as though she were floating alone and miserable, people came to visit sometimes but nobody actually stayed. The rocky surface was not conducive to building a house. 

Donna was so pure and warm. Miranda had a hard time reconciling the fact that Donna liked her, she didn't know what Donna saw in her. That wasn't to say that Miranda didn't think she had anything to offer, she just felt that Donna was giving her too much credit. She felt that Donna didn't realize who Miranda was and what she was capable of.

When she was with Lucas, Oliver and Stephen she felt that it was okay that she worked a lot, was busy a lot and was a little detached. She expected to get as good as she gave. 

But she was afraid. She was afraid that Donna expected more from her. She was afraid of disappointing her.

The wind kicked up a bit and Miranda felt the mist of rain on her face and she scowled. She tucked the Blackberry protectively into the robe and went back inside. 

She put the Blackberry back in her suitcase, slipped out of her robe and slid back into bed with Donna. Donna stirred, smiled and stretched. 

"So," Miranda grinned, "do you like ABBA?"

"Noo..." Donna laughed and buried her face in Miranda's stomach, "how did you even know about that?"

"I have my sources." Miranda ran her fingers through Donna's hair, smiling, "and by sources I mean I have internet access." 

"You're bad." Donna grinned, straddling Miranda's waist and holding her hands above her head playfully. Donna watched Miranda's smiling eyes for a few moments. She sighed softly, "I could really just look into your eyes forever."

" _Flatterer_." Miranda grabbed her around the shoulders and pulled her down to her. 

"Sophie," Skye grinned as he found her in Donna's bedroom, sweeping up. "There you are, I've been looking for you everywhere."

"I'm cleaning. It's on Mom's agenda." Sophie persisted, "8 in the morning, on the dot, clean the rooms."

"It's just a loose guideline, Soph."

"It's not. If it was a guideline she wouldn't have highlighted it." 

"She won't even know," he grabbed Sophie by the waist and pulled her close, "what do you say we forget the cleaning for a bit? Hmm,"

"I just feel like she'll know..."

"That's ridiculous. She's half the world away," he spun her around and lowered her onto Donna's bed. 

"You're right," Sophie grinned, leaning in and kissing him and shifting his hands down to her ass. 

The phone rang.

Sophie's head snapped up and her eyes widened. 

"It's a coincidence." Skye laughed uneasily, "I'll bet you anything it's not your mother."

The phone rang again. 

Sophie reached over and answered it, "hello?"

"Hello sweetheart!"

Sophie gulped, "mom!"

Skye paled. He got up off the bed, gave a curt little wave and booked it out of the room.

"How's your vacation? How're Auntie Rosie and Auntie Tonya? Did you win anything at the tables?"

"Great, good and _hell_ yes."

"Mom, that's great." Sophie smiled hugely, "how much did you win?"

"I actually called because I wanted to tell you," Donna could scarcely control her excitement, "I met someone, Sophie, someone wonderful. I'm falling so hard." 

"Did you tell Auntie Rosie and Auntie Tonya?"

"I haven't told them that I'm having real feelings for her because they think I'm thinking with my libido and not my heart." 

"Did you say her?"

"Yes," Donna said after pausing for a moment.

"That's new." Sophie nodded, taking it in. "But go on."

Friday morning Miranda was perusing the gift shop. She wanted to give something to Donna but everything seemed rather trite. She finally found a vase of single red roses and she pulled one out.

She stepped out of the gift shop and ran into Donna, Tonya and Rosie. Donna and Miranda exchanged shy smiles and glances.

Tonya and Rosie smiled knowingly and slipped away into the gift shop.

"I bought this for you," Miranda held it out to Donna.

"You're very sweet," Donna smiled adoringly at Miranda, her blue eyes almost sparkling in the casino lights. 

Miranda gingerly ran her fingers along Donna's forearm. Her voice was soft, "I like you a lot, Donna, I really do."

"My plane leaves this evening." Donna whispered and she tried to hold back her emotion. "I guess we should talk about what happens next."

"Yes." Miranda nodded. "I guess we should." 

"I love my little island and I don't really see leaving it." Donna admitted, "and I can't imagine that you could give up New York."

Miranda forced a small smile, "it's where I belong." 

Donna ran her hands up Miranda's arms and pulled her close in a hug. Miranda wrapped her arms around Donna, one hand cupping the back of the head. She closed her eyes and nuzzled her ear.

Donna took in a shaky breath.

Miranda pulled back and looked at Donna, "you are so beautiful." 

"Don't, you're going to make me cry." Donna wiped at her eyes.

"I don't care." Miranda said stubbornly, "I have things to say and I'm going to say them." Miranda leaned her forehead against Donna's.

"Okay." Donna consented. 

"I didn't want to hurt you but I ended up hurting myself."

"You don't think I hurt?" A few tears streamed down Donna's cheek. "I should be used to it, I realize, week long romances, but I guess I'm not. I'm going to miss you like crazy."

"I'm going to miss you too." Miranda whispered, fearing her own onset of tears. Miranda softly pressed her lips to Donna's and repeated the gesture a few more times, "I'm going to miss you so much."

Donna clung to her and kissed her again.

"I'm not good at goodbye." Miranda kissed her again and extracted herself from Donna's hold. "So I'm going to go."

Donna silently watched Miranda walk down the hallway. 

Tonya and Rosie came out of the gift shop laughing at the gossip they were reading in People when they noticed Donna's state. "Oh, baby." Tonya frowned sympathetically and drew Donna in for a hug. "It'll be okay." 

Miranda spent the rest of her afternoon brooding. She attempted to busy herself with her work to keep her mind off of Donna but to no avail.

Miranda felt haunted by each second that ticked by. 

Finally, she looked at her laptop and hurriedly pulled up flight times for Las Vegas to Greece. She called the front desk to see if they'd checked out yet and determined that she had just enough time to catch them.

Miranda hailed a cab and pointed it in the direction of the airport. The airport was mobbed, of course, and when she made it through customs to get to the passengers she heard the last call for boarding announcement.

She rushed forward and was stopped by the attendant, "ma'am, can I see your ticket."

"I don't have a ticket, I'm not flying today. I just need to see someone on the plane." Miranda explained.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, the plane is taking off now."

Miranda looked out the window at the plane despondently. She sat down on the bench and stayed there watching as the plane barreled down the runway.

Miranda felt her eyes well up as the plane started to lift off. "Back to your island," Miranda whispered, "and back to mine."


	6. Chapter 6

Emily and new-second-assistant Tia met Miranda at the gate. Tia was charged with Miranda's luggage and Miranda shoved her carryon of notes and pictures about the Vegas shoot into Emily's arms.

"We're going with the Bellagio, all the relevant details and pertinent information is contained therein, I can trust you to get it done right."

"Of course, Miranda." Emily said proudly.

"Good." 

The driver held open the door for Miranda and the two assistants at her heels. Miranda settled down in the seat and sat facing the two assistants. 

"I trust that the Elias Clark building has not fallen into rubble in my absense?"

Tia laughed and Emily shot her look before she responded in a small voice, "no, Miranda." 

Miranda gave a little nod and turned her head to look out the window. She watched the buildings moving past the windows of her car and put her sunglasses on to conceal any emotion she was feeling. 

Home on the island. 

She hadn't felt as alone since Andy had left her in Paris. She glanced over at Emily and felt a little disdain for Emily's blind allegiance. 

Miranda looked back out the window.

"Did you have a good vacation, Miranda?" Emily asked, surprised, and disconcerted, by Miranda's silence.

"It was adequate." Miranda said still peering out of the window, watching all the people go by. She suddenly caught a familiar face in the rushing crowd of New Yorkers. "Driver! Stop the car."

The car screeched to a halt and Miranda headed for the door. Emily and Tia moved to follow. She turned to her assistants, "you two, back to Elias Clark. Bring my notes back, and you," she motioned to Tia. "Bring my luggage back to my house."

"Miranda," Emily questioned but Miranda was already gone and slammed the door on Emily's confusion.

Miranda hurried down the street, faciliated by the fact that people seemed to part for. She reached the corner and grabbed her shoulder.

Andy turned around and stared at Miranda, looking startled. "Miranda..." Andy searched her face. Perhaps the other shoe was finally going to drop for having left her in Paris?

"Off the record," Miranda said, always conscious when talking to journalists, "I have recently learned the importance of having people who don't blindly put up with me. And very very off the record, I would uncharacteristically like to thank you."

Andy looked even more startled by the admission but after a few moments contemplation she smiled. "I was just going to get some coffee, would you like to join me?"

"Yes," Miranda said, "I think I would."

It had been just over a year since Andy had left Miranda in Paris but being back in Miranda's company was easy. She had learned to appreciate the time as her assistant and had even forgiven Miranda for what she had done to Nigel. She realized that all it had been was an act of self-preservation, not really different than what Andy herself had done by leaving. 

Miranda sipped her coffee quietly, leaning back comfortably in the chair. Andy watched her carefully, "you seem different."

"As do you." Miranda remarked noncomitally. 

Andy smiled, "you seem a lot more introspective than you used to."

"Another year older, another year's worth of evaluating my life." Miranda admitted, "triumphs, mistakes, loves, missed opportunities."

Andy nodded sympathetically. She felt an overwhelming sense of comfort that Miranda could doubt herself. If Miranda could do it, maybe it wasn't so bad that other people did it. 

"How are the girls doing?"

"Oh, teenagers, they're remarkably resilient." Miranda waved the thought away, "they're Freshman in high school now. Caroline wants to be a journalist, actually."

"I'm working at-"

"The Observer." Miranda nodded, "I know. You could have worked for the Times if you'd put me down as a reference."

Andy shrugged, "I didn't want to need you." 

"I suppose that's fair. So you put in a year at Runway for naught?"

"Not for naught." Andy smiled genuinely, "I value my experiences at Runway. And besides, after you, any boss is a cakewalk."

Miranda smiled despite herself, "I make no apologies."

"That doesn't surprise me." Andy smirked, "I can't even imagine an apology forming on your lips."

"Well," Miranda sat up a little, feeling a little defensive, "I have apologized once or twice in my time."

Andy was quick to respond, "I didn't mean I didn't think you were capable of it. I just mean because of your persona." 

"What _persona_ would that be?" Miranda pursed her lips.

"I didn't mean it as an insult... I don't have to be frightened of you," Andy tried to defend herself and steel herself against Miranda's pursed lips.

"I'm not trying to frighten you. Do you think I'm trying to frighten you?"

"No, I don't think so." Andy said and paused, "to tell the truth, I don't know why we're having this conversation."

"I don't actually have any friends. In lieu of friends, however, I do have people that have stood up to me."

Andy smiled, "your attempts at sentiment are actually really cute."

Miranda scowled. _Cute_. As if.

"Miranda, I would be glad to be your friend, you know." Andy smiled, "I did like you after I got to know you." 

"You couldn't have liked me too much, you left me." 

"I was mad about Nigel. Leaving Runway was something that I needed to do for me. It wasn't really personal." 

"Well, I'm sure you can understand why I thought it _was_ personal. Everyone else who has left me has meant it personally." 

Andy wasn't about to be rattled by Miranda. She recognized that Miranda was opening up, showing her emotion. Even if it was a little bit bitter or angry, it was still an emotion.

"Miranda, did something happen?" Andy watched her with scrutiny, thinking that it seemed a bit like a midlife crisis. 

Emily arrived at the office and was met by Nigel in a panic. "Where is Miranda? I need those shots of the casino to coordinate the dresses to pick the models for her to choose from. I send you to the airport to pick her up and you come back empty handed. What did you do?"

"Nigel, do _not_ ride my arse about this. And before you say it, ha ha, I know fat chance you'd ride _my_ arse, but Miranda just ordered the car pull over in midtown traffic and jumped out." Emily shoved the briefcase of casino details into Nigel's arms. "Now get off my bloody case."

"Why don't you call her?" Nigel scowled.

"Tia, answer that one." Emily shot Nigel a withering look, carefully honed by being Miranda's assistant for the better part of her adult life.

Tia helplessly held up Miranda's Blackberry. 

"Well, bollocks." Nigel rolled his eyes.

"My sentiments _precisely_." Emily said with a huff.


	7. Chapter 7

The photo shoot took place on Wednesday and the final draft was approved by Miranda on Thursday and the magazine went to print without incident on Friday, right on schedule. 

Miranda had been quiet and broody. When she did speak she'd been meaner than ever.

"Nigel," Emily caught his arm as Miranda's office door closed behind him, "did you read Miranda's editorial column this month?"

"No, I don't ever read them." Nigel shook his head, "they're very cookie cutter. Do _you_ read them?"

"Yes, they give me valuable insight into Miranda, be they cookie cutter or not, they do tend to be revealing."

"Sometimes I wonder if you aren't an MI-5 agent here to gather information."

"Oh don't be ridiculous," Emily smirked playfully, "an MI-5 agent wouldn't be nearly this beautiful or thin. But don't distract me. This month Miranda's editorial was... _different_."

"Different? Different how?" 

"Well, read it yourself, you'll see."

"I don't have a copy of the book." Nigel sighed, "or am I supposed to wait until it hits newsstands?" 

"If you'll keep your knickers on for two seconds, I'm pulling it up on my computer." Emily shot him a look and returned to navigating through her computer.

"What? Does she send them to you for editing?" He laughed.

"I intercept them."

Nigel stared at her. "You are fascinating."

"Here," Emily turned the Macbook to Nigel, "read it."

Nigel adjusted his glasses and lifted the Macbook for ease of reading. After a few moments he looked up and said, "you're right. It's different."

"Mom!" Caroline and Cassidy cried, bursting through the door, launching themselves into the living room and assaulting Miranda.

Miranda let out a startled laugh, "the monsters are back!" She smiled. "How was England, tell me all about your vacation."

"England was totally great, it was kind of rainy most of the time but it was really cool."

"Yeah, totally," Caroline agreed with her sister, "we took a ton of pictures."

Lucas stepped into the room, "Miranda, can we talk?"

"Babies," Miranda kissed each girl's forehead, "why don't you go get ready for bed, you must be jet lagged."

The girls looked between their parents and at each other before complying with Miranda's suggestion.

"What is it, Lucas?" Miranda asked when the girls were out of earshot. 

"I'm concerned about you, Miranda." He fiddled with his glasses.

"Needlessly." She set down her book and moved her body defensively.

"You've signed your second set of divorce papers in 10 years." He emphasized the last few words, "that has to be tough.

"I think you overestimate my dependence on men." Miranda smirked. 

"The girls are worried about you." 

"I am aware."

"That doesn't bother you?" Lucas furrowed his brow, "your children are worried about you and you could care less?"

"I try to assuage their worried and yet they persist." Miranda shrugged, "I don't know what else I'm expected to do."

"Oh come on, Miranda." Lucas sneered. "You're not exempt from human emotion, you can't just pretend you're completely unaffected." 

"I don't claim to be exempt from emotion, I am the first one to acknowledge that I have emotions. The fact that I chose not to wear my heart on my sleeve doesn't mean I don't _have_ one."

"Miranda..." Lucas scowled.

"Lucas, no, don't go there." Miranda shook her head, "you were my lawyer once upon a time, you were my _husband_ once upon a time. Being far removed from both of those roles you have no right to condescend to me about emotion."

"I'm not condescending to you."

Miranda rolled her eyes, "you forget how well I know you. Your friend Jack London has been married 4 times. I'd bet money that every time he gets another divorce you congratulate him on getting out of it without losing the house." 

"What's your point?"

"Don't lecture me on emotions until every Tom, Dick and Harry is equally prepared to bare his emotions."

"Miranda, why be so obstinate?"

"The very fact that you think I'm being obstinate speaks volumes about you, not about me."

"Miranda, really, you must be upset." 

"Everything happens in a very interesting way, Lucas." Miranda pursed her lips, "if Stephen and I hadn't gotten a divorce I wouldn't have gone to Las Vegas and had a very amazing week. I was a little woebegone before my vacation, but I'm... _enlightened_ now."

"Enlightened? What the hell does that even mean?" Lucas raised an eyebrow.

"I don't answer to you." Miranda said definitively. "I'll see you next weekend when you pick up the girls."

Lucas sighed.

"Mom," Sophie pulled Donna away from tidying the kitchen to sit down at the table, "stop. I know you're still upset but you have to stop all this obsessive cleaning. You've cleaned off the top three layers of paint on the counters."

Donna tossed the sponge on the tabletop with annoyance. She sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. "Sophie, you're so much luckier in love than I am. For that I am very grateful."

"Or maybe you are because you've been fortunate to have so many loves."

Donna scoffed. "You're kind."

"I'm serious."

"Hello ladies," Skye grinned, entering into the kitchen, his hands behind his back. "While I see that Donna is stil somewhat under the raincloud, I come bearing something that will make you feel better."

From behind his back he produced Runway magazine.

"Did you get that from the mainland?" Donna instantly brightened.

"No, I got it from the mail, it's got your name on it."

"My name?" Donna looked at the address, "did one of you order this?"

Skye and Sophie looked between each other and shook their heads, "not us, mum." Sophie grinned, "it must be from Miranda! Open up her editors column, I want to see her picture!"

Donna flipped the pages excitedly and landed on the page with the letters to the editor. Miranda looked back at Donna from the glossy pages of the magazine, her icy blue eyes mesmerizing Donna as she studied the picture.

"Mom, she's beautiful." Sophie smiled.

Donna ran her fingers over the words of the editorial column.

"Donna, I think this is to you," Skye pointed to the second paragraph, "In this issue the photoshoot of a Las Vegas Rendezvous is exactly the sort of thing I want to see again."

Donna smiled hugely. 

"You have to write back. You have to write her a letter to the editor!" Sophie squealed.

"Can I handwrite it or do I _have_ to use the computer?" Donna bit her lip.

"I'll help you, Donna." Skye smiled.


	8. Chapter 8

"Miranda?" Emily knocked on her door and the silver haired vixen looked up, "you said you wanted me to let you know when the letters to the editor letters were compiled?"

"Yes, are they in?"

"Yes, do you dislike the way I've been responding to the letters?" Emily bit the inside of her lip.

"No, I just want to do this month's myself. I want to get back in touch with the magazine."

Emily raised a questioning eyebrow. 

"Forward the letters to me." Miranda looked back down to her work.

Emily hovered in the doorway for a few moments.

"Is there something else I can do for you or are you just going to stand awkwardly in my doorway?" Miranda didn't look up.

"No, Miranda." Emily turned away and went back to her desk to take Miranda's order. "Tia, fetch us coffee." Emily snapped.

Tia pushed herself up from her desk, "woman kicks cat, cat bites the mouse." She muttered under her breath.

Miranda opened the attachment of letters to the editor and skimed through them. Her eyes fell on the letter she was hoping for: Donna Sheridan, Greece. Miranda's heart fluttered and she smiled.

_I recently met someone wonderful in Las Vegas, so your photoshoot was wonderful to see. I want to see more like it too._

Miranda couldn't erase the smile from her face. 

Tia entered the room and approached the desk. Miranda slammed her macbook shut and looked defensively up at Tia. 

Tia jumped a little and watched Miranda with scrutiny before setting the steaming hot, strong black coffee down on Miranda's desk. 

Miranda snapped up the coffee and narrowed her eyes at Tia, "call Giorgio and tell him I'll be ready to see his new collection tomorrow at 1. Then pick up the skirts, dresses and blouses that Nigel needs for the next shoot. Go."

Tia nodded and left the office. 

About 15 feet down the hall Tia ran into Nigel. "What the hell is going on with Miranda?"

"Damned if I know what goes on in that woman's head." 

"Or any woman's head." Emily added, joining the conversation.

"That is where you're wrong." Nigel turned to Emily, "I can sense all those very angry, daddy-issue riddled thoughts in your head."

"You really want to get into daddy issues?" 

Tia rolled her eyes. "It's a wonder anything ever gets done around here. I'm off to do my labors. Work it out!"

Tia tromped down the hall and nearly plowed Andy over as they passed by the elevator. "Whoa!" Andy laughed, but Tia ignored her.

Andy raised her eyebrows and shook her head. "Hey guys," Andy smiled at Nigel and Emily, "what's up?"

Emily stared at her for a moment, "I thought you climbed into your escape pod over a year ago." 

"Nice reference." Nigel nodded approvingly, "good diversification." 

"Serena and I went to see Star Trek." 

"Surprising." 

"But back to the point," Emily declared, pulling Nigel's attention back to Andy standing in front of them in her regularly abysmal clothing, albeit much better hair. "What brings you by?"

"I'm here to see Miranda."

Nigel scoffed. 

"Go on back." Emily nodded toward Miranda's office and watched Andy walk away.

"She'll eat her alive." Nigel protested, "Miranda's in the mood to end all moods. She'll be dragged out of here in a very chic, slimming bodybag." 

Andy knocked on the doorframe and smiled when Miranda looked up. "Hey, I just got out of work. I picked up a copy of Runway and I saw that you took my advice."

"Yes, I did." Miranda tried to stifle her smile, "and she sent me a letter back." 

Andy grinned, "good for you. And I'm betting, based on your indellible smile, that she said _good_ things."

"Deserves celebration, how about a drink?"

"How about dinner?" Andy countered, "second weekend of the month, the twins are with their father, right?"

"Impressive."

"Details of your life have been permanently engraved into my brain." She grinned. "So come on, I made reservations at Martine's on the patio."

"You've convinced me."

"Let me grab your coat. For old time's sake." Andy laughed and left the office.

"Quick visit." Emily tried not to laugh. 

Andy walked over to the closet and pulled Miranda's coat and purse from the closet. Miranda exited the office, closed the door, took her things and walked to the elevator with Andy.

"Bye Emily." Andy smiled as the elevator doors closed. 

Serena walked up to Emily and Nigel, taking note of their confusion. "Um, Nigel?" She waited until he turned to look at her, "they need you in The Closet. It's a Jimmy Choo emergency, as I understand it."

"Dear Lord, can they do _nothing_ without supervision?" Nigel rolled his eyes as he headed to the closet.

"Hello Emily." Serena smiled.

"Hello Serena," Emily cocked an eyebrow and grinned.

"So the ball's back in your court." Andy sipped her wine again, "she wants to see you again too. What are you going to do?"

"I was hoping you could help me with that." Miranda admitted, pushing a stray green bean around her plate.

Andy scoffed. "Miranda, you are the most creative person I know. I mean that, I have tremendous respect for your talent."

"Creative, talented... _yes_." Miranda acknowledged sans humility, "but _romantic_ I am not." She shook her head.

"You can't be afraid of falling short. You really have to do this." 

"You're giving me relationship advice? How many serious relationships have you _had_? One?" And just as Andy opened her mouth to speak, "I mean _serious_ , sleeping together doesn't necessarily constitute serious."

"Alright, yes one, but it lasted six years and only ended because of you." She added the last bit playfully, "how many years was your longest marriage?"

Miranda rolled her eyes and, quite begrudgingly, admitted, "five." 

"I'm really not trying to lecture but I think that your biggest problem is that you're afraid that you're not good enough so you hide behind being a workaholic so that when another husband files for divorce he can say it was because you were never there, not because you were inadequate. So you can say that _he_ gave up on your marriage, not because you _failed_."

Miranda stared at Andy for a few moments, "cut me to the quick, why don't you?" Miranda sipped her wine, "Jesus. Come up with that on the fly, did you?"

"I was a psych minor in college." Andy said, "I think about these things. I actually thought a lot about it because I was afraid that's what I was doing in my relationship. In Paris when you told me that I reminded you of yourself, that was both exhilerating and terrifying. I thought - _think_ \- you are brilliant, you have an amazing mind, but you're also really closed and defensive. I was afraid to compromise my faith in people to be brilliant."

"And now?"

"And now... I'm passing my lesson on to you." Andy smiled, "maybe you can learn from your own mistakes or maybe you can learn from my lesson. But I think what you have now is wonderful. It's already enabled you to let down walls and I love that because I like being your friend. I also think that you're afraid that it won't last. This woman has already enriched your life and she likes you just the way you are. Just do something... from the heart." 

Miranda nodded, letting Andy's words sink in for a few moments. "Would you consider ghost-writing my autobiography?" 

"Mom?" Sophie yelled, walking down the hall and out onto the balcony, peering down at Aphrodite's Fountain, "mom, where are you?"

"Sophie?" Donna walked out into the middle of the courtyard and shielded her eyes against the sun, looking up at her daughter, "don't shout, we actually have guests that might like not to be disturbed."

"There's a big box here for you from New York and I am so curious that _I_ am going to tear it open in exactly 30 seconds if you don't come in here and open it right now."

Donna grinned bashfully, "coming!"

Sophie beat Donna to the office and she perched on the desk and Skye sat backwards on a chair, front row seats to watch Donna open her curious package.

Donna laughed when she got a hold of her audience, "well, don't just sit there, get me a pair of-"

Skye held up an orange handled pair of scissors.

"Scissors. Thank you Skye." Donna laughed again and took the scissors to the heavy duty packing tape that held the package shut.

Once the box was open Donna picked up a manilla envelope and pulled out the first thing she grabbed, which turned out to be a letter. She skimmed it and then read it aloud, "Dear Donna, I am going to be in Milan for the long weekend and I would like nothing more than to see you. If there is any reason you cannot make it, I understand completely and I will not be offended. However, if you are free and would like to see me too, I have enclosed a plane ticket and an invitation to the show's afterparty. I have also included a dress because you'll be made immediately if you aren't wearing designer, though I maintain that I love your clothes. I look forward to seeing you. I miss you. Yours, Miranda C. Priestly P.S. if anyone asks, the dress is Vera Wang."

Sophie stared at Donna. "She sent you a Vera Wang...?" 

"Is that good?" Skye asked, Donna shrugged.

"Um, fuck yes." Sophie's eyes were wide, "that is _very_ good. Mom! Let's see the dress."

Donna smiled and set the envelope down on the table, moving the padding out of the way and pulling out a long dark blue dress and holding it up to her body. "It's so beautiful..." Donna smoothed it down with her admiring fingers. 

Sophie piped up, "you are going, right?"


	9. Chapter 9

Miranda sat in the back of the chauffeured town car that had been rented for her by Emily. She was shuffling through her notes on the runway show she'd just seen and flipping through the pictures she'd taken on her iPhone before sending them to her computer.

But most of all she was trying to stay calm. 

Miranda was dying of anticipation to know if Donna would come to the party. She was even tempted to show up on time rather than fashionably late. 

"Ms. Priestly?" The Chauffeur turned to her, "would you like me to take another drive around before the party?"

"Uh," Miranda looked out at the lights and the people milling around towards the party, "how about another half drive around?"

The chauffeur smiled, "yes ma'am." 

Miranda tugged nervously at her dress before catching and chastising herself for acting like a lovesick teenager on her way to the prom. 

Miranda sighed and leaned back against the seat. She closed her eyes and let out a long exaggerated breath. When she opened her eyes the car was rolling up to the party.

The driver stopped the car and got out to open Miranda's door, "your assistant said you probably wouldn't want to stay long. Should I wait?" 

"No." Miranda shook her head, "no, I'll ring you when I want you to pick me up." 

"Yes, Ms. Priestly." The driver nodded, "have a good time at the party."

Miranda walked towards the door, her heart was pounding hard in her chest. A few stray party guests that were hanging around outside parted out of Miranda's way as they recognized the silver haired fashion mogul. 

She met and greeted the people who came up to her and a waiter handed her a glass of champagne. Her eyes scanned the crowd but she saw no sign of Donna or the tell tale Vera Wang dress. 

Miranda sighed and downed the rest of the champagne. She grimaced. 

"Is this seat taken?" 

Miranda looked up and her heart leaped into her throat. She smiled and shook her head, "it's been waiting for you."

Donna smiled sweetly at Miranda and sat down next to her on the plush chair. "I'm sorry I'm late. The flight was delayed." 

Miranda shook her head, "no need for apologies. I've only been here for a few minutes myself. It is very chic to be fashionably late." Miranda leaned in and kissed Donna's cheek. She lingered, feeling her skin touching Donna's sending her a chill down her spine. She smiled. 

Donna blushed, "I'm so glad that you wanted to see me again." She whispered. 

"I'm so glad that you came." Miranda ducked her head shyly. 

"Do you want to dance?" 

Miranda laughed, "I'm not really a dancer. My last husband liked to dance and once in a blue moon he'd get me to waltz, but... I don't dance." 

"It's easy." 

"It's humiliating. Do I look like I have rhythm?" 

"Come on." Donna grinned. "It'll be fun. I _promise_." 

Miranda raised an eyebrow at Donna amusedly. "No..."

Donna stood up and held out a hand. Miranda looked at her hand and then back up at Donna. "Which part of no was unclear?"

"Well, I'm going to dance. And if you want to join me you can." Donna batted her eyelashes and disappeared into the crowd.

Miranda looked around, taking note of the fact that there didn't appear to be any reporters. The Milan after parties were notoriously hard to get into. She sighed and got up from her seat. Her heart was pounding. 

She put her hand on Donna's lower back and Donna turned around to face her and smiled. 

"Alright, how do I do this?" Miranda leaned in close so Donna could hear her and she had to resist the urge to kiss her. 

"Just grab hold and move to the music." Donna grabbed hold of Miranda's hips and started to move with the beat of the song. Miranda was a little tense but she started to move with Donna.

Donna smiled. Miranda's hands latched together behind Donna's back as she let her hips move a little more freely.

"You're concentrating too hard," Donna leaned in, Miranda sucked in a breath and Donna smiled as she pressed against Miranda's torso, "just let yourself go. Just _dance_."

"Alright, alright." Miranda smiled and shook herself, "alright, I'm relaxed." 

"Now you're getting it!" Donna grinned, moving a little less deliberately now that she was sure Miranda would let her lead. 

"Serena," Emily ran her fingers down Serena's arm, "thank you for coming out with me. Dinner was wonderful." 

"If it was wonderful it was because the company was wonderful." 

Emily blushed and rolled her eyes through a smirk, "you are such a shameless flirt." 

"I can't help it, I'm completely smitten." Serena grinned, taking Emily's hand, "do you have any idea the things you do to me?"

"I bet I can guess." Emily teased. 

Serena leaned down and kissed Emily softly. Emily smiled against Serena's soft lips, reaching a hand up to cup Serena's cheek and gently stroke her cheekbone. 

They broke apart and Serena smiled, "dinner tomorrow night?"

Emily nodded, "at my place." Emily stole another kiss, "I'll even cook."

"Gasp! Shock!" Serena laughed, she squeezed Emily's hand, "sleep tight."

"You too."

Miranda stumbled into the hotel room, she took off her shoes and threw them across the room. Donna shut the door behind her and laughed, kicking off her own shoes.

Miranda flopped down onto the bed. Donna crawled over her and straddled her hips. "Don't blame the shoes," she whispered against her lips before stealing a long kiss.

"I don't blame the shoes," Miranda purred, nibbling on Donna's lip and eliciting a soft groan, "I blame you, the shoes were just collateral damage." 

"You had fun," Donna grinned, kissing down Miranda's neck. "It helped that you were half in the bag." 

"Helped that you were pressed against me the entire time." Miranda moaned as Donna's teeth raked over Miranda's neck. "I _love_ that..." 

Miranda's hands trailed down Donna's back and slipped her hands up Donna's dress. Her fingernails raked over Donna's ass, "decided to go without underwear, I see."

"You have to in a dress or you'll get pantie lines." 

"I just wear a thong." Miranda smirked as she ran her fingers along Donna's wetness, she moaned, "you've missed me, have you? Or does dancing turn you on?" Miranda grinned.

"Dancing with someone is a lot like sex," Donna whispered against Miranda's neck. "Two bodies moving together, writhing against one another, inhibitions lost... it's very intimate." 

"Mmmmmm," Miranda moaned, "come up here,"

Donna lifted herself to look into Miranda's eyes. "You're beautiful."

"Kiss me."

Donna sucked Miranda's bottom lip into her mouth and then ran her tongue along Miranda's tongue. Miranda responded with a searing kiss. 

Then Miranda pushed two fingers into Donna. 

Donna cried out, sitting bolt upright and grabbing the headboard for support. Miranda's fingers curled inside Donna's hot, wet cunt, pushing against the sweetest spot.

Donna moaned, rising up and pushing down on Miranda's fingers, "god..." she ground out. She squeezed her eyes shut, her fingernails digging into the headboard. Miranda driving her hips upwards, aiding her thrusting fingers. 

"Mira!" Donna gasped, "my god..." 

Miranda grinned, pushing her fingers deep into her lover, "you are so amazing, Donna, I want you to come for me,"

Donna's body tensed and released as an orgasm exploded through her, making every extremity tingle. She collapsed next to Miranda.

Miranda grinned, turning and nuzzling Donna's neck. 

"Wipe that smug grin off your face, Priestly," Donna whispered, "I'm going to fuck you stupid." 

Donna's lascivious words sent a surge of arousal through Miranda, her eyes fluttered shut and she moaned, gripping at Donna. In a tumble of limbs, the two divested each other of their dresses. 

Desperate hands roamed and rememorized missed skin. Miranda felt, in a sudden rush of awe, that she didn't want to feel anyone else's skin ever again. Also, that she couldn't bear the thought of anyone else touching Donna's skin ever again.

"You're perfect." 

"Flattery will not distract me." Donna grinned, she urged Miranda to lay on her stomach. Donna dragged her nails down Miranda's back and leaned down and slowly bit the base of the back of her neck.

Miranda moaned, a shiver running down her spine. 

"Donna..." 

"Don't get ahead of yourself," Donna grinned, biting into her shoulder blade, "I'm just getting started." 

"God... My body is yours..." Miranda moaned as Donna dragged her fingernails down Miranda's back. 

Donna's fingers stopped at Miranda's ass, where she kneaded and squeezed, making Miranda lift her hips into the touch. Donna leaned down and nipped, dragging her teeth along the soft skin and peppering strategic kisses. Finally she latched on, using her teeth and tongue to leave Miranda a deep purple hickey.

Miranda dug her fingernails into the sheets as she moaned in appreciation.

Donna's fingers slipped between Miranda's legs and gently stroked Miranda's slick folds, Miranda groaned. Donna spurred on, rubbing her clit. Donna's other hand slipped under Miranda's thigh and coaxed her to rise.

Miranda rose until she was on her elbows and knees.

Donna rose to her knees as well and with one hand on Miranda's back she shoved three fingers into Miranda. Miranda hissed, pushing back against Donna's fingers, urging her to go faster.

Donna, however, had other plans. She set an excrutiatingly slow pace. Miranda moaned and pushed back again. 

"Mmmm," Donna grinned, stilling her fingers, "torture first." 

"You're going to kill me," Miranda sucked in a breath and let out a moan as Donna resumed her torture. Miranda lowered herself to put her face against the pillow with another long moan. "I'm not a young woman." 

"Oh hush." Donna punctuated with a particularly deep thrust and Miranda cried out her appreciation. 

Donna's fingers continued to tease and torture while Miranda moaned and writhed until she felt Miranda's muscles starting to contract around her fingers. She thrust harder and harder, Miranda moaned long and low, reaching out to push against the headboard and thrust back into Donna.

Within moments of Miranda's desperate bucking and Donna's quickened pace Miranda's orgasm rocked through her. 

"Je _sus_." She breathed, collapsing on the bed, her heart still racing, she squeezed her eyes shut. "Fuuuuck." She mumbled.

Donna grinned, setting her chin on Miranda's lower back. "Enjoy yourself, did you?" Donna pushed herself up off the bed, "brush teeth?"

Miranda sat up and grabbed Donna's wrist, giving her a tug and landing her right back on the bed, "I'm not through with you yet." Miranda leaned over her, "think you were going to get off that easily? _Pun_ intended..."

Donna started to laugh at Miranda's joke but Miranda captured her mouth with her own. Donna wrapped her arms around Miranda, rubbing her back. Miranda dipped down and swirled her tongue around Donna's nipple. 

Donna moaned and arched her back. She buried her fingers into Miranda's silver hair, dragging her nails against Miranda's scalp. 

Miranda lavished the same attention on the other nipple while Donna pushed her chest up to Miranda's mouth. 

Donna groaned when Miranda sat up and looked down at her lover. 

Miranda swung her leg over Donna and settled herself, her stomach pressing against Donna's and her head buried between her legs.

Donna grinned, lifting her head to slowly slide her tongue into Miranda. Miranda moaned and latched onto Donna's clit. 

Donna moaned, probing Miranda more vigorously. 

Miranda squeezed her eyes shut, swirling her tongue around Donna's clit and feeling her second orgasm building. Donna's fingers dug into Miranda's thighs and Miranda knew that Donna was close. 

"God!" Donna cursed as her body suddenly released in a core rocking orgasm. She was, however, determined to bring Miranda to a similar end. 

Her fingernails dug into Miranda's creamy thighs, her tongue lashing and swirling against Miranda's sensitive clit until she felt Miranda's abdomen clench and she cried out, burying her face in the sheets.

The next morning in Manhattan Emily was startled awake by her cell phone. A surge of adrenaline ran through her before she realized it was only her ringtone. She made a mental note to change her ringtone to something a little bit more pleasant.

She picked it up off the night stand, took note of the caller and accepted the call, "piss off, Jocelyn, it's my day off."

"Before you hang up on me," Jocelyn said hurriedly, effectively stopping Emily's finger above the end call button.

"What?" Emily was annoyed, but undeniably intrigued.

"You might want to take a look at Page Six." 

After a few moments there was a heavy sigh from Emily's end of the call. "This better be damn good, Joc." Another few minutes without words passed by as Emily padded through her apartment to open the door and pick up her paper. "Holy shit."

Donna awoke before Miranda, not having to worry about jetlag considering she hadn't left her time zone. Donna slipped out of Miranda's arms and walked over to Miranda's bag. 

Miranda curled up in the middle of the bed in Donna's absense.

Donna pulled out Miranda's Blackberry. She looked at it with confusion. It didn't look like any phone she'd ever seen before. 

Donna sat on the bed and put a hand on Miranda's shoulder, "Miranda, is this your phone?"

Miranda stirred and stretched and rubbed her eyes as she opened them with mild difficulty. "Uh," she waited for a few moments as her vision came into focus. "Yeah, do you need to make a call?"

"I wanted to be mysterious and put my number into your phone but I have no idea how to work this thing." Donna laughed, "I mean, it has a keyboard on it."

"I know, it's great," Miranda took it and unlocked the keypad, bringing up the contacts screen, "cellphones with full qwerty keyboards are the most helpful piece of technology I could have hoped for." 

"Why?"

"I can send texts and e-mails a lot more easily."

"From your phone?"

Miranda laughed, "yes. I get internet on here, it has a camera and an mp3 player, it's great." She held it out to Donna, "I put your name in, you can add your number now." She smiled.

"With the letters?" Donna raised an eyebrow.

"The numbers on the left, where they keys are half white." 

"Oh. Okay." Donna nodded and entered her number into the phone. "There." She smiled, "I figured it was probably time we traded phone numbers."

"Good call," Miranda smiled and leaned in and kissed Donna softly, "I'll write mine down for you. I can give you my e-mail address, too."

Donna scoffed, "I don't know the difference between my computer and my toaster. I'm just happy when I get to have toast with my breakfast." 

Miranda laughed, "I'll give it to you anyway, maybe one morning when you boot up your computer instead of turning on the toaster you can write to me." 

"Alright, deal." Donna smiled and leaned in and kissed Miranda. "How long do I have you till?"

"In the grand scheme of things or the immediate future?" 

"The immediate future," Donna grinned, running her fingers through Miranda's hair. 

"All weekend," Miranda's fingers traced Donna's arm. "We just sent an issue to print so I figured I could stay a little longer and not be missed. Not that my staff would mind my absence too much." 

"A weekend with a beautiful woman in Milan." Donna nuzzled Miranda's hair and kissed her temple, "sounds like heaven to me." 

Miranda pulled Donna to her and pulled her in for a kiss. Donna wrapped her arms around Miranda, returning the kiss.

Miranda's cell phone vibrated on the nightstand. Miranda rolled her eyes with a groan. She picked up the phone and grimaced, "it's my ex-husband... the first one." She accepted the call and put the phone to her ear. "Yes, Lucas?"

Donna nuzzled her shoulder, patiently waiting for Miranda to finish her call.

"Okay, before I say anything, she's going to be completely fine."

Miranda stiffened, "one of the girls? What happened?"

"Cassidy... got injured during her lacrosse game. Another girl tried to get the ball and she cracked Cass right in the arm with her stick. The doctor said it'll take a couple months to heal but she'll probably get all of her functioning back."

"Probably?" 

"Hard to tell right now."

"Tell her I love her and I'm on my way home." She hung up on Lucas. She hit the speeddial button for Emily and rolled her eyes when she didn't answer so she called Nigel and gave him instructions to have her ticket changed by the time she got to the airport.

"Donna, I'm so sorry." Miranda kissed her, "I have to go, one of the twins broke her arm and-"

"You don't have to apologize for anything, I'm a mother, too, I know exactly what you're feeling."

Miranda smiled apologetically, "still." She started to get dressed. 

"I'll see you again soon, don't worry." Donna assured her.

"You know," Miranda said, pulling on her black lacy Victoria's Secret bra and latching the hooks in the back. "The girls' summer vacation starts in a couple of months. Maybe they'd like to visit Greece." 

Donna smiled, "it's lovely. I think they'd enjoy it and I'd love to meet them." 

"Give me another. This time make it a double!" Emily bellowed, sitting at the bar.

"I think you've had enough." 

"I'll tell you when I've had enough!" Emily glared, slamming the money down on the counter.

"Don't blame me when you crash." The barista set the double espresso on the counter with a heavy sigh.

"There you are." Nigel announced as he walked into the Starbucks.

"How did you know where to find me?" Emily frowned.

"I figured you'd be at Starbucks or Elias Clark. I don't believe you have an apartment." He sat down next to her at the counter. "Jesus, how many have you had?"

"Caffeine helps me think."

"Caffeine helps you _pee_." Nigel shook his head at the empty coffee cups surrounding Emily. He looked at her for a few moments, thinking. "Emily Shaw, a lesbian. I have to get my gaydar recallibrated." 

"Shut up." Emily sneered, "just because I'm not a walking cliché..."

"What do you mean by that, girlfriend?" Nigel snapped his fingers. Emily sneered at him, "hey come on, that was a joke."

"It wasn't funny."

"It was a little funny."

Emily snorted. 

After a few moments he decided to just ask. "What are you going to say to Miranda?"

Emily sighed, "I don't know..." she shook her head, looking down at her espresso. "Thank god she's in Milan. Gives me a couple of days to think about it."

"Uh..." Nigel bit his lip.

"What?" 

"Bad news, kiddo," Nigel clapped her on the back, "her plane just landed. She flew back early because one of the twins had a lacrosse accident. You have until tomorrow morning." 

Emily's eyes welled up with tears. She looked at Nigel, opened her mouth but couldn't speak. She picked up the espresso shot and downed it. She crushed the empty cup onto the counter and covered her face with her hands. 

Nigel wrapped his arms around Emily and she leaned her head against his shoulder.


	10. Chapter 10

"She's going to have a scar, the stick broke the skin, it looked really horrible." Lucas shook his head.

"You never could stand the sight of blood."

"Oh, you're really not bringing that up again." He sighed, "I screamed that _once_. You really can't blame me for that, waking up covered in blood makes me scream."

"You weren't _covered_. Grow up. And it was menstrual blood, for Christ's sake." 

"You brought it up." 

Their extramarital quarrel was interrupted by Cassidy throwing a fit in her hospital room. Lucas cringed. Cassidy was almost as bad a patient as Miranda herself. (Two nurses and a doctor quit after she gave birth to the twins)

Miranda rushed into the room.

"Mommy!" Cassidy's lip quivered as Miranda entered.

The girls were reminding Lucas of Miranda more and more every day, much though he tried to ignore it. At least he had (some) authority over the girls.

"I'm here, baby." Miranda kissed her forehead, "how are you feeling?"

"My ulna fucking hurts." Cassidy scowled, not bothering to censor her rant. "I got 20 stitches, I have a deep muscle ache and I can't play in the final playoff game. My life _sucks_."

"Oh sweetheart," Miranda cooed, smoothing out her fiery red hair. "Your life doesn't suck, this is just a minor setback." 

"She made the winning goal despite the injury." Lucas said from the doorway, "and they gave her the MVP prize this season."

"See? There's a silver lining."

"They only gave me that stupid MVP thing because I got hurt." Cassidy sneered, "it's not like I really earned it."

"Cassidy, you're a great lacrosse player, of course you deserved the award. And when next season starts you'll be able to play again, right?"

"Yeah, _if_ I don't have muscle damage." 

"Am I to infer that you're inconsolable?" 

"Completely." 

"So, if I were to tell you that I stopped by the house and picked up Freddy Bear, you'd want me to put him away?" Miranda pulled Cassidy's beloved, ratty old teddy bear from her purse and held him up.

Cassidy's eyes welled up with tears. She took Freddy with her good hand and clutched him desperately. "Thanks mom."

Miranda brushed Cassidy's hair out of her face. "You're welcome, baby," Miranda smiled a little. 

"How was Milan?" 

"Oh, you know," Miranda said but couldn't help but smile adoringly at the thought, "same old, same old."

Miranda's smile was not lost on Cassidy but before she could call her on it Caroline came into the room. 

"Mom!" She smiled and embraced Miranda. "Good flight?" 

"Worried flight," Miranda hugged Caroline back, "let's get the doctor to release your sister and binge on ice cream."

Miranda awoke the next morning alone in her king sized bed. She sighed and wondered what Donna was doing. 

She pulled her Blackberry out and looked through her messages. One of them was a message from Jocelyn with an attached copy of the Emily/Serena article. _Just thought you should know._ The message said. 

Miranda arrived at Runway an hour later and threw her purse and jacket at Tia, as per usual. Then she turned her attentions to Emily.

Emily looked up at her and her big brown eyes pleaded with Miranda to be gentle. 

"Emily, may I see your cell phone?" Miranda held out her hand.

Emily looked at Miranda with confusion for a moment before reaching into her purse and producing the Sidekick. She timidly set it into Miranda's waiting hand.

Miranda turned it over in her hand a few times. "Well, look at that. It isn't incapacitated." Miranda tossed it back at Emily and Emily scrambled to catch it. "A cell phone that was smashed to bits would be the only excuse for your not answering your phone yesterday. They make them small and portable so you can take them with you wherever you go." Miranda's words were wrathful, though she never raised her voice. 

"The next time I call and you don't answer your phone do not bother to come back to work." Miranda sneered. "Get me a coffee and confirm my lunch with Anna Wintour." 

Emily jumped up from her desk, "yes, Miranda," she said hurriedly, throwing on her jacket and making haste towards the elevator, cell phone already in hand to call Vogue. 

She was both relieved and terrified. Miranda had said nothing about the Page Six incident. Which meant one of two things: one being she didn't _care_ or two being that she was actually very angry and would most likely kill her when she was least expecting it.

When Emily returned with the coffee, she lingered in front of Miranda's desk.

Miranda picked up the coffee and sipped it, eyes still on her computer. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Talk about... what?" Emily shifted her weight.

"I don't know, but I assume there's some reason you're loitering." 

"No, I... no." Emily turned to leave but she stopped and turned back around, "yes, actually... that Page Six thing..."

Miranda finally looked up at her, effectively making Emily falter.

"That Page Six thing... I know that women who date women don't have the best reputation for being fashion conscious, but... this doesn't change anything. Serena and I should have been more discrete."

"I couldn't care less who you sleep with." Emily blushed at Miranda's words. "Get out of my office and do whatever it is I pay you to do." 

"Yes, Miranda." Emily turned on her heel and hurriedly left the office. 

Miranda turned her attention back to her computer and bit her lip against a tiny smile, she'd always thought that Emily and Serena stole a few more glances at each other than were platonic. _Apparently,_ Miranda thought, _I_ do _have gaydar_.

Her Blackberry vibrated on the desk and her heart skipped a beat when she saw that Donna was calling. She held the phone to her ear, "hi."

"Hey beautiful," Donna smiled into the phone, "I wanted to call and see how Cassidy is doing."

"You're the sweetest," Miranda felt like she was melting into a lovesick puddle. "She's okay, she thinks the world is ending, of course, because she's 14. Somehow, I think she'll pull through this trying time."

"Good," Donna said, "I remember teenage years. I pity you having a double dose of teen angst." She teased.

"I'm so glad you called. I missed you the second I left." Miranda admitted softly. "I love hearing your voice." 

Nigel cleared his throat from the doorway. 

Miranda jumped and fumbled with the phone. She put it back to her ear, "I have to go, I'll call you later." She put the phone down and pursed her lips at Nigel, " _what_?"

"We have a meeting." Nigel bit the inside of his lip to keep from smiling. Even though he had never seen that particular emotion on Miranda Priestly, he recognized it immediately as new love. "How was Milan?"

Miranda felt herself start to blush but covered it by leaning down to gather her things. "Uneventful." She said noncommittally. 

Miranda arrived home at 11. She opened up the hall closet and put her coat in, threw her keys into the bowl and headed for the stairs. "Cassidy!"

Cassidy yawned and stood up. "I stayed up, I wanted to talk to you, I didn't mean to startle you."

Miranda put her hand on Cassidy's shoulder comfortingly, "what's wrong, bob?" 

"Other than my grievous injury?"

Miranda gave Cassidy a little indulgent smile, "yes, other than that."

"Well, nothing." Cassidy shrugged her good shoulder. "You've been really happy and in a good mood. Like, ever since Las Vegas. I don't know, I just feel like there's something you're not telling us. Caroline and I are so happy to see you happy."

"Well, I'm happy to be happy." 

"What changed?" Cassidy asked, "what happened that made you happy?"

Miranda paused, she thought about telling her about Donna, but she decided not to. Not just yet. The girls had been through enough of Miranda's breakups that she wanted to be able to promise them that it was forever before she told them about Donna.

"I'm just feeling better about myself than I've felt in a long time."

Two nights later Miranda was sprawled out on her Egyptian cotton sheets. Donna had called as soon as she had woken up, Miranda told her she'd still be awake and Donna intended to take full advantage.

"I just woke up and I needed to hear your voice." 

Miranda sighed adoringly, "it's good to hear your voice, too." She slipped under the sheets and pulled them up to her neck, "today was tough because it was the day of the final game of Cass's Lacrosse team's playoff. They won, but that just made everything worse. I mean, how dare they do well without her, you know?" Miranda smiled a little. "God, that kid is more and more like me every day."

"That's not a bad thing." Donna laughed.

"I have three ex-husbands who would beg to differ." Miranda said playfully.

"You have one girlfriend who thinks they're wrong. Obviously my opinion is worth more."

Miranda grinned and swooned, "I'm your girlfriend... how can you stand me? I'm making _myself_ sick."

"I think it's really sweet," Donna confessed, "besides, I'd be a hypocrite if I asked you to stop."

"How was your day yesterday?"

"Well, Skye set up a website for Villa Donna and we've been getting more and more patrons, so that's keeping me busy."

"That's good that buisness is doing well."

"I can't wait until you come visit." Donna whispered, "I think I'm addicted to you."

A shiver ran through Miranda and she breathed out a sigh, "I think I'm addicted to you too."

"Have you ever had phone sex?" 

"Yes," Miranda smiled and paused for a moment, "and if you're suggesting we have it, allow me to suggest locking your door."

Donna got up to heed the advice, "speaking from experience?"

"Unfortunately," Miranda laughed softly. "That's a story for another time." She had locked her door before climbing into bed on the offchance that Donna would make the suggestion.

"What are you wearing?" Miranda asked, laying on her back on the bed.

Donna got back into her bed, "blue pyjamas. You?"

"A negligé, it's plum." Miranda's fingertips toyed with the hem of the negligé. "Where's your hand?"

Miranda could hear the ruffle of fabric on the other end, "between my legs," Donna whispered. "Yours?"

Miranda mmmed, "ditto." 

"Started without me, did you?" Donna purred.

"You turn me on." 

Donna's fingers sought out her own clit and she moaned, she slipped her eyes shut. Miranda's eyes flitted shut and bit down on her lower lip. Minutes of heavy breathing and moaning passed before they both laid back on their beds and caught their breath. 

"I can't wait to see you again." Donna whispered. 

"Neither can I." 

"The next two months are going to drag by,"

"You're telling me. My twins are going to be insufferable, especially Cassidy. I mean, considering that her life is over."

Donna smiled, "you sound tired. You should go to bed,"

"I'll call you when I wake up?"

"I'd love that." 

Miranda awoke the next morning when her alarm clock went off. She shut the offending noise off and pushed herself out of bed. She reached over for her Blackberry and before she could push a button, the phone vibrated in her hand. 

She looked at the caller id and rolled her eyes, "heaven help me..." she muttered under her breath, "Lucas, you are such a cock-blocker."

There was a moment of confused silence, "what? Do you have a man over there?"

"No, I don't, I'm completely alone. Forget it." She walked to her bureau to start selecting the day's clothing. "What do you want?"

"I want the girls this week and next week."

"No." Miranda scoffed, "this is my week with them." 

"Be reasonable." Lucas smirked.

Miranda paused, "alright, but I have a condition."

"Of course you do..." Lucas muttered, "let's hear it. What's the condition?"

"I'm taking them on vacation when school gets out. I want a month."

"You've got to be kidding me!" Lucas yelled, "how do you figure that that's fair?"

"Well, by my calculations... your London vacation was two weeks long, one of those weeks would have been mine and now you're taking them this week, which means I get two weeks comped, plus my own two." 

Lucas sighed, he knew that he'd just been outfoxed. "Fine." 

Miranda quickly dressed, woke the girls and headed downstairs to pour three glasses of orange juice and throw a couple of pieces of bread into the toaster. 

She dialed Donna, "hey," she smiled, "I can't talk for long, I got a late start this morning."


	11. Chapter 11

"We have a plane to catch!" Caroline called as she did a cannonball onto Miranda's bed. 

Miranda jolted awake, "Caroline!" She put a hand over her heart and closed her eyes as she let her heart stop pounding. "Are you trying to give me a heart attack?!"

"We have a plane to catch!" Caroline repeated with a grin, kneeling next to Miranda on the bed. 

Cassidy climbed onto the bed too, "yeah, are you ready? Come on!"

Miranda picked up her Blackberry, "we have four hours until the plane takes off." Miranda rolled over, "my alarm's going to go off in half an hour. Give me some peace."

"But mom!" Both twins protested as Miranda pulled her pillow over her head in an attempt to drown out the excited teenagers. "Moooooooooom!"

Miranda, however, was not to be disturbed and she steadfastly ignored their protests. 

Defeated, the twins skulked out of the bedroom and retreated to the kitchen to wait for her.

Four hours later they were on the plane. "We'll have a layover in Paris but it won't be long enough to spend any time there." She popped a Dramamine, "but if you'd like we could try to spend a day there on the way back." 

Miranda was not prone to airsickness but she welcomed the drowsying side effects on the 6 hour flight. 

Caroline and Cassidy put the ear buds to their iPods into their ears and started a game of cards. 

Miranda looked out the large window of the Charles de Gaulle and smiled at the city. The lights sparkled below and she thought about all the things that had happened to her in Paris, the good and the bad. 

Two years ago had certainly taken the cake for bad experiences in Paris. Stephen called her to tell her he wanted a divorce, Irv told her he wanted to replace her as editor and Andrea left her on the steps of the last event. 

The year prior had actually been fun. She and Emily had had a couple of drinks in her suite after one of the after parties. They'd swapped a few secrets and came dangerously close to swapping spit. Either Emily was a black out drunk or a very good liar because she plead ignorance as to what happened that night. 

On the other hand, Paris was where her life had begun. When she had taken off from England she'd taken shelter in Paris where she'd met Charles and Pierrette Bonheur who helped her break into the fashion industry. 

She also vividly remembered running into Coco Chanel in front of her beloved Ritz in the fall of 1970. She'd been stunned and shocked. She clumsily introduced herself as one of her biggest fans, Chanel had taken a drag of her cigarette and gave Miranda a small approving smile. She died in January the next year. But boy was she unforgettable.

She smiled at the possibility of making a few new memories of Paris with Donna. 

The twins had run off with a few euros in search of McDonald's, much to Miranda's chagrin, they didn't have to be on the plane for another half an hour. 

When the plane finally landed in Greece all three of the Priestly women were relatively well rested. They took a taxi to the ferry and Miranda spent the entire ferry ride with her arms crossed unamusedly. 

It was packed and it smelled like fish.

The twins spent the ferry ride watching the water, excitedly pointing out the fish they saw.

Miranda was the last one to exit the ferry, preferring to let everyone off first. She stood up from her seat and smoothed out her skirt, taking one step at a time, using the railing to push her up to take a solid step onto the dock.

"Come on, mom!" The girls called, hauling their luggage down the dock. 

Miranda didn't hear her girls because as she stepped onto the dock, pulling her own suitcase with her, she locked eyes with Donna at the other end. She smiled. 

Donna smiled back at Miranda and then turned her attention to the fiery haired twins who stopped in front of her. 

"You must be Cassidy and Caroline Priestly." Donna smiled, "I'm Donna Sheridan, I'm going to take you up to the inn." 

"Hi!" They threw over their shoulders, throwing their suitcases into the Jeep and jumping into the backseat.

Miranda stopped in front of Donna, "don't mind their rudeness." 

Donna smiled, "they're teenagers. How was your flight?"

"Steady." Miranda smirked, "I slept through most of it, actually. It's really good to be here finally."

Donna took Miranda's hand and gave it a squeeze, "it's good to have you here. Should we go?"

The drive was as bumpy as usual and Miranda was pretty sure she was going to throw up. Air travel didn't make her nauseous, boat travel didn't make her nauseous but that car ride sure did.

Miranda staggered out of the car at the top. "Girls, go find your room and unpack." 

Donna handed the nearest twin the room key, "it's 211." She put her hand on Miranda's back, "are you okay?"

"Yeah..." Miranda straightened up, "don't take this the wrong way, but next time I think I'll walk from the ferry. Or maybe I'll just charter a helicopter." 

Donna laughed a hearty, deep throated laugh and Miranda swooned, "let's throw your things into your room. Then throw you into mine." 

Donna stood in the doorway while Miranda put a few things into the room. She really didn't bother to do much unpacking considering she was actually going to stay with Donna and having a room of her own was merely a formality.

"Mom, can we go swimming?"

"Girls, come here. I know she already introduced herself, but I wanted to too. I met Donna in Las Vegas and we hit it off." Miranda smiled, "and I picked Villa Donna because I wanted to see her again."

_True statements... even if I did leave out a few important details._

"Oh cool," Caroline smiled, remembering Miranda's marked rise in happiness since her trip to Las Vegas and figured her relationship with Donna had been the catalyst. "Nice to meet you."

"So how about it? Can we go swimming?"

"I suppose so, it's your vacation, isn't it?" Miranda turned to Donna, "when's dinner?"

"18:30."

The girls raised their eyebrows at Donna.

"6:30. Be back at 6 to get cleaned up and dressed." Miranda said and then added, "Cassidy, make sure that cast stays dry, you know what the doctor said."

"I knoooow!" Cassidy called as she and Caroline took off for the door. 

Donna took Miranda's hand, "come on, Sophie's dying to meet you." 

Emily stared at the screen in confusion. Nigel, who was on his way to retrieve something from Emily, stopped in front of her desk. As Miranda's first assistant, Emily was the logical choice for acting editor during Miranda's absence. 

"Did you know that Miranda's been calling Greece twice a day for two and a half months?"

Nigel laughed a little, "why would I know that?"

"You should see this phone bill." Emily shook her head, "she's been acting very strange recently. Very strange."

"Maybe you should be grateful. Maybe that's why you got away with shtuping Serena." Nigel glanced around him to make sure they were alone, "although, between you and I me, I think she's seeing someone."

"There haven't been any abnormalities in her schedule consistent with a relationship."

"Oh? What about a trip to Las Vegas, a long weekend in Milan and a month-long trip to an island?"

"A Grecian island!" Emily grinned. She laughed, "sounds like Miranda's doing a bit of _shtuping_ herself!" 

"And it's about damn time." Nigel smirked, "hard to believe she finally found a man who could keep her." 

Emily started to type wildly at her computer. "What are you doing?" He asked, coming around to her side of the desk. 

"Googling that number." Emily said offhandedly, "I want to know who she's been calling. I want to know who to send flowers of appreciation to."

"What's the verdict?"

"The number belongs to a hotel called Villa Donna, located in the cliffs above Glysteri Beach, run by Donna Sheridan." 

"That doesn't sound like a Greek name." 

"It doesn't. How astute of you." Emily poked. Nigel scowled. "This must be where she's staying."

" _You think_?" Nigel rolled his eyes. 

Emily ignored him and after a few minutes Emily was looking at Donna's 2008 tax statement. "Looks like the place is run by Donna Sheridan and her daughter and son-in-law. They're the only three that live there." Emily sat back for a minute and looked at the screen, "I don't really see a man that she could be calling there."

"You're a terrible, terrible lesbian." 

Emily scowled. "You think Miranda's shtuping a woman? Really?" 

"Two plus two always equals four." 

"Yes, agreeably, but we don't have two plus two, what we have is X plus Y and you're just assuming that X and Y are both two. But X could be 3, Y could be 4 and they could equal 7." 

"Sorry Em, I think you just got dethroned as the most fashionable lesbian."

"Is every sentence you speak to me going to include the word lesbian for the rest of forever?"

"Not forever... just until I get bored. I give it two years." Nigel smirked. "I'm telling you, she's shtuping Donna Whoever. The one who's not Greek." 

"I'm going to call the number."

"And what? Ask Donna if she's sleeping with Miranda?"

"I could text Miranda, would that be wrong?" 

"And then what? Swap cunnilingus tips?" Nigel cringed, "oh god, why would I say that? Oh god, I can't unthink it!" 

Emily bit her lip on a smirk.

"You're thinking about it and you're smiling. That's gross. I'm leaving this conversation." Nigel shook his head, walking away.

Dinner was mostly Cassidy and Caroline excitedly detailing their day. Miranda smiled proudly at her children, listening to their stories. She hoped that they could always be this happy. 

Donna held Miranda's hand under the table. Miranda stroked the top of Donna's hand with her thumb. 

Miranda was quiet all through the three courses. She was just contentedly spending time with the most important people in her life. She felt very happy, she felt that this was really all she needed. To be with Donna and the twins. This was happiness. 

"You guys picked a great time to visit," Sophie said to the girls as they finished dinner, "there's a music festival in town. There's a concert in the town square tonight." 

"Oh cool!" The twins agreed, they turned to Miranda, "can we go?"

"Skye and I are going down and we can make sure that they don't get into trouble," Sophie smiled. 

"I don't see why not." Miranda smiled. 

"How about you, mom? Do you want to go?"

Donna laughed, "if it's no ABBA count me out." 

Cassidy and Caroline turned to Miranda, "I'm kind of tired. I'm going to miss this prime opportunity to embarrass my teenagers and count myself out." 

After Skye and the girls had cleared out Donna turned to Miranda, "too tired for a little walk on the beach?" 

"I think I can muster up enough energy for that." Miranda smiled adoringly at Donna. 

Miranda was carrying her shoes, feeling the sand between her toes. "You know something, Donna? I'm happy."

"I'm happy too Miranda," Donna gave Miranda's hand a squeeze. 

Miranda stopped them and pulled Donna to her so she could look into her eyes. "No, I really mean it. I am so happy when I'm around you. I'm so happy when I think about you. Every other relationship I've ever had can't even compare to how I feel about you." 

Donna smiled lovingly, leaning into Miranda's space a little. "I know what you mean," she whispered, "I know exactly what you're feeling. I feel it too." 

Miranda leaned her head against Donna's and rubbed noses with Donna, "do you think it would be really trite of me to say I love you?"

Donna captured Miranda's lips and wrapped her arms around Miranda's waist. "I love you," she breathed when they broke apart, "I love you, I love you." 

Miranda smiled adoringly, "I love you too, Donna." She cupped her face and kissed her again.


	12. Chapter 12

Cassidy was mad. She walked down the stone steps into the kitchen and punched the wall.

"Careful," Donna warned warmly from the other end of the room, "don't want to hurt your other arm, too."

"Sorry..." Cassidy said embarrassedly. "I shouldn't have punched the wall, I'm sorry..."

Donna shrugged, "the wall is made of stone, it can do a lot more damage to you than you can do to it." She crossed the room and guided Cassidy to a chair, "it is my experience that people who punch walls do so for a reason. What happened?" 

Cassidy sighed, sitting at the chair. "Well, it's Caroline. We met this guy yesterday and we were all going to hang out today and Caroline was like let's go rock climbing. And he said he knew a great place to rock climb and I was like I can't rock climb! Let's do something we can all do, right?" She looked to Donna for commiseration and Donna nodded, "and then she's like why should I not have fun just because you can't. And then they went off without me."

Donna rubbed her back sympathetically, "I'm sorry to hear that, Cassidy." 

"And, it's just that this injury is bad enough. I couldn't play in the final game. I'm one of two freshmen on the team and I really wanted to prove myself."

"They gave you the most valuable player award, didn't they?"

"Pity." Cassidy scoffed.

"Didn't you make the winning goal of that game despite your injury?"

"So?" 

Donna smiled, "you don't do anything halfway, do you? It's all or nothing and since you didn't participate in the last game it doesn't count right? You remind me of your mother."

"Ouch, Donna." Cassidy laughed. 

Donna smiled, "it's okay to want to follow things through, but if something prevents you from being able to, it's important to learn to take in stride."

"I think my mother's still learning that."

"Maybe so." Donna got up and poured two pineapple juices and gave one to Cassidy. "But there's always next year. Your parents would have made sure you got the best medical care possible, I'd bet my life that you'll be able to play next year."

"Legit? Your life?" Cassidy raised an eyebrow.

Donna laughed.

Sophie wandered into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator, "the bar needs more orange juice."

"Hey Sophie, are Dyna and Milos still trying to put a football game together?" Donna asked, Sophie's presence sparking her memory.

"Yeah, I think they're still looking for another player or two."

Donna turned to Cassidy, "they're good kids, they're the chef's kids. You should go play football with them. That doesn't require your hands."

"In what universe?" 

"What do you mean?" Donna was confused.

"I think we're talking about different sports." Sophie grinned, "we're talking about the one with the round ball and you're not allowed to touch it."

"Soccer. Got it." Cassidy smiled and finished her juice, "can you show me where to find them?"

"Yeah, I'll take you to them." Sophie nodded, switching the orange juice to her other arm.

"Thanks Donna."

"You're welcome, kiddo. Have fun,"

Donna picked up the cups and washed them. She checked the refrigerator and saw that they were fully stocked for the next couple of days. As per Sophie's chiding, she refrained from remaking the beds after Orea had made them. 

Since her labors seemed to be finished she decided with a grin that she was going to go find Miranda. 

Miranda was stretched out luxuriously on a black beach towel in her crimson red halter bikini. Her Prada sunglasses shielding her lidded eyes from sun. Her fingers sliding through the pure white sands. 

Suddenly she felt a bit of a chill as something blocked her sun. She opened her eyes and smiled to see Donna. Donna smiled back and then laid down on her stomach on the blanket. 

Miranda turned on her side and nuzzled her face against Donna's neck, kissing her cheek and then over to her mouth. "Good afternoon, Ms. Sheridan." 

"You look so good in your bikini." Donna ran her fingers over Miranda's stomach. "I bet you make everyone on the beach jealous." 

"Flatterer," Miranda ran her hand over Donna's hip, cupping her ass and pulling her close. She tugged on Donna's leg, encouraging her to put her leg over her hip. Miranda kissed her again. 

"You're going to get an uneven tan." Donna teased.

"I'm English. I'm wearing SPF 500." Miranda grinned, "I'm not going to tan at all."

Donna wrapped her arms around Miranda's shoulders, "I love you," she whispered, she sucked Miranda's bottom lip into her mouth. Miranda's hand kneaded Donna's ass as she returned the kiss. 

"Quizzically. 43 Points. Byway down the end, that's 24 points. 67 points total." Miranda announced turning the Scrabble board towards Cassidy. 

Cassidy cast Caroline a sidelong glance, "way to go putting down quiz. We're never going to beat her."

"Not my fault she's a dictionary!" Caroline hissed as they huddled over their letters. "Palm." Cassidy put down the letters. "P on the double letter. 11 points."

"Girls can I go to bed now? _Please_?" Miranda took off her glasses and rubbed her tired eyes. "I'm exhausted."

"There are still like 10 letters left in the bag!" They protested. 

"I'm beating you by 200 points, can we just assume you won't catch up?" Miranda stood up and folded her glasses up and put them into their case. "Don't stay up too late."

The twins groaned. "Donna, will you play a round with us."

"Okay, but I'm not very good." Donna smiled. The girls grinned. 

An hour and a half later the door to Donna's bedroom opened and closed softly. Donna stripped down and climbed into bed with Miranda. She wrapped her arms around Miranda's waist and buried her face into her hair.

"How was Scrabble?" Miranda murmured sleepily. 

"I beat them by 3 points." Donna laughed, "I think we both owe them a chance to redeem their dignity tomorrow." 

"You're so sweet for playing with them." 

"They're good kids," Donna yawned, nuzzling the base of Miranda's neck. "It was fun playing with them." 

Cassidy woke up with a start, a jolt of pain throbbing in her muscle. She clutched her arm to her chest and tried to stay quiet and not wake Caroline. 

Caroline was not a light sleeper. There were four things that could wake her from a deep sleep: her name, her alarm/cell phone, Miranda and Cassidy. Her eyes flew open and she sat up, turning to look towards Cassidy in the dark. "Cassie? What's wrong?"

"I didn't take any pain medication after dinner, I forgot." She whispered. "Go back to sleep, I just have to go get my pill from mom. Don't worry."

"Need me to go with you?"

"No, it's just down the hall." Cassidy laughed a little, "go back to sleep." 

Cassidy pushed open the door and padded down the hallway. "Mom?" She whispered at the door. She knocked lightly on the door. She paused and waited, then knocked a little harder, "mom?"

She tried and the knob and was shocked when it actually opened. "Mom?" She walked in the direction of the bed. She put her hands on the end and moved up the side, "mom?"

She furrowed her brow, her eyes starting to adjust and she could swear that the bed was empty. Confused, she reached over to the nightstand and turned on the lamp.

The bed was empty. Furthermore, it was perfectly made. It looked like it hadn't been slept in since before they'd arrived. 

In a sudden panic Cassidy wondered if she'd gone into the wrong room and she fumbled to turn the light to leave but she caught sight of Miranda's suitcase. 

Cassidy stood in the middle of the room and looked around it for a few minutes. Very strange. Where was Miranda? 

She decided to pursue it in the morning. For now she just grabbed her pills from Miranda's suitcase, took one and put the bottle back. She shut out the light and left the room in a hurry. 

The next morning Cassidy woke up early and went down to the kitchen to find Miranda sitting at the kitchen table using her Blackberry to check her e-mail. She sipped a cup of hot, black coffee.

"Morning, mom." Cassidy said from the doorway.

Miranda looked up and smiled at her daughter, "good morning, bob. How are you feeling? I realized you didn't get to take your pill yesterday after dinner."

Cassidy nodded, "yeah, I realized last night. The pain woke me up last night."

"Sweetie, I'm sorry." Miranda said apologetically.

"So, I went to find you to get my pill. I went to your room."

Miranda's heart skipped a beat. "Oh?" She tried to play it cool. 

"Yeah. And you weren't there." Cassidy sat at the table across from her mother who was now looking very anxious, "you weren't there and that was strange because you were so tired last night so I didn't think you'd have gone out for a walk or anything. I mean, it was, like, 2 in the morning. And the bed was made and I really couldn't imagine that even if you had gotten up in the middle of the night that you would _make_ your bed. You know?" Cassidy asked rhetorically, "and at that point I was _really_ confused. Like, where were you? And then... I had a thought. I mean, it just occurred to me. I _got it_."

"What?" Miranda asked in a small voice. 

"Mom, I'm going to ask you a flat out question and I want a flat out answer, no hesitation, no pausing. At all." Cassidy prefaced. She waited a moment for Miranda to nod. "Are you sleeping with Donna?"

Miranda looked up at Cassidy and looked into her blue eyes. "Yes." She said, "I am."


	13. Chapter 13

Cassidy watched Miranda for a few moments and she furrowed her brow and frowned. "I was kind of hoping you would say no." 

"Cassidy..." Miranda wasn't exactly sure what to say.

"Because if you said no then it would mean that you don't distrust Caroline and I, that I wouldn't have to wonder what other things you were keeping from us."

"I'm not keeping anything from you."

"You're not? Just some secret love affair, right? Just some whole other life." Cassidy got down off the stool. 

"Cassidy, stop, I want to talk about this."

"No, you don't." Cassidy frowned, heading for the door, "you don't want to talk about it. You're saying you want to talk about it now because you got caught in your stupid lie, but if you really wanted to talk about it _you_ would have brought it up." 

"Cassidy, stop, please." Miranda said forcefully, despite her voice cracking at the end.

Cassidy took off after ascending the steps, Miranda jumped up and hurried to catch her but got into the hallway and saw neither Cassidy nor a clue about which direction she could have gone. 

Miranda walked back down into the kitchen, "damnit," she cursed. She punched the wall.

"Like mother, like daughter." Donna smiled, entering the kitchen with the morning mail. She furrowed her brow in sympathy when she saw Miranda's eyes were wet with tears. "Miranda, what's wrong? What happened?"

Miranda let out a series of hysterical, high pitched attempts at coherent sentences. Miranda started to pace.

Donna grabbed her around the waist and pulled her tightly against her chest. "Miranda, calm down," Donna whispered soothingly, "Miranda, shhh, shh. Take a deep breath and tell me what's wrong."

Miranda went straight up to Cassidy and Caroline's room, hoping against hope that Cassidy hadn't gone up to talk to Caroline, hoping that there was a chance she could present her case to Caroline untainted..

She figured that the only person Cassidy would really talk to right now was the person with an exact carbon copy of her own DNA. 

Miranda sat down on Caroline's bed, "Caroline, please wake up."

Caroline rubbed her eyes, "what? Is something wrong?"

"I have to tell you something, sweetheart. It's really important, okay?" Caroline nodded skeptically. "I haven't been telling you and Cassidy the whole truth the last couple months. I met Donna in Las Vegas and we've been in a relationship ever since."

"Like, a _relationship_ relationship?"

"Yes."

"Alright, go on." Caroline sat up in her bed.

"And I've wanted to tell you, but I've been afraid. Of course I trust you and Cassidy but I was afraid to tell you two about Donna because I was afraid that everything could end. I was afraid that the happiness I've been feeling could be yanked away from me. I know you two already worry about me and I wanted to protect you from having go through that." Miranda paused to think, Caroline didn't interrupt. "I didn't stop to think that I was being selfish. That by sparing you worry or the pain... I was preventing you from sharing the joy. And I'm so sorry that I kept it from you." 

Caroline watched Miranda for a few moments, "I just want you to be happy, mom." Her eyes started to well up, "you do everything for Cass and me. You never miss anything, you move Heaven and Earth to get to us if we need you or want you. All I want for you is for someone to return the favor. I want someone to move Heaven and Earth for you."

"Oh, bob." Miranda's tears started anew and she pulled her daughter to her, holding her tightly and burying her face in the girl's red hair. 

After a few minutes Caroline pulled back, rubbing her eyes. She looked around the room. "Where's Cassidy?"

"I need you to find her. I need you to talk to her. She figured it all out and she's mad at me because I was keeping this from you." Miranda admitted, "I need you to talk to her for me. I need you." 

Caroline found Cassidy on the dock dipping her feet into the water and staring off into the distance. She sat down next to her. 

"Whatcha doing?" 

"Just thinking." Cassidy wiped at her eyes. 

"Mom told me about what happened." 

"I didn't want to wake you." Cassidy said leaning her head on Caroline's shoulder. "But I'm glad you're here."

"I'm always here for you, you know."

"I know." Cassidy nodded. "So what kind of bullshit sob story did she give _you_ when she woke you?"

"She said she was scared." Caroline started, Cassidy scoffed and Caroline shot her a look. "She's scared that her happiness won't last. She doesn't want us to worry about her. She said she's sorry."

"Of course she did. Everyone who gets caught in a lie says they're sorry. They're sorry they got caught and now she has to try to win us back." Cassidy shook her head, "if I didn't figure it out she wouldn't ever have to told us."

"She said she wanted to know that it's for forever before she told us."

Cassidy scoffed. "She didn't tell us because Donna's a woman. I mean, this is fucking 2009! What does she think we are? Monsters? We don't care if she dates a man, a woman or a goddamned goat!"

Caroline laughed, "I think I'd care a little bit if mom dated a goat." 

Cassidy laughed, too, despite herself. "You know what I mean." She looked down into the water, and turned serious again. "It just really hurts my feelings that she didn't trust us with this. When she divorced dad she told us that she'd never keep anything from us. She said right to our faces that we were the most important people in the entire world and that she'd always be honest with us." 

"She also said that she would always protect us! She was trying to protect us."

"From what?" Cassidy demanded indignantly, "from _what_? From her life?" 

"From her heartbreak. I mean, you know, she acts all strong and she tells us not to worry and she barks orders and makes demands and she makes you think she's alright. But, oh my god, she's human. She... thinks people are going to leave her. She thinks everyone is going to leave her, that's why she acts like such a total bitch. She's actually really transparent." Caroline sighed, "she was trying to protect us from heartbreak by us seeing her get her heart broken again."

"Selfish cow. I don't want to be kept out of that. I mean, obviously I'd prefer her to be happy. But I'd rather know. I don't want her to go through that alone. I want to be there for her like she's there for us." 

"That's what I told her." 

Cassidy rolled her eyes. "Well Benedict, why don't you go back up there and tell her I'll see her later. I can't go back right now. I can't look at her. I can't talk to her." She shook her head.

"Fuck this." Caroline stood up, "I'm not playing messenger. Get over yourself. Stop being so self-indulgent, stop being a hypocrite." 

Cassidy glared at her sister. She stood up, "and just what do you mean by that?"

"You heard me." Caroline set her hands on her hips indignantly, "you're being a hypocrite. You want mom to be honest about what she's feeling and you won't talk to her. You're just perpetuating this whole cycle. You're being so damn selfish and I'm not going to be dragged into this."

Cassidy walked up to Caroline and shoved her, "don't call me selfish."

Caroline shoved her back, "don't call me Benedict just because I'm on mom's side in this." 

Cassidy shoved her again, this time grabbing a fistful of hair. They both toppled over onto the dock, "fuck you! You've been abandoning me all week because I'm limited and you come back when everyone else leaves you. Well, fuck it." 

Caroline pushed up on Cassidy pushing her off of her, "oh, don't even go there." 

Cassidy scrambled to her feet, anticipating Caroline following suit. Caroline rushed her and Cassidy grabbed her wrist and spun her towards the end of the dock. Caroline's footing started to slip on the end of the dock and reached out with two hands to grab Cassidy's good wrist and they both splashed into the water.

"Hey!" Skye yelled as he and Sophie ran down the dock. Skye dove into the water and Sophie skidded to a halt at the edge. 

Skye grabbed a kicking, pissed off Caroline and held her up to Sophie who pulled her onto the dock. "What are you doing?" Sophie demanded. 

"My cast!" Cassidy yelled, "my cast!"

"I'm going to go get my mom," Caroline announced, prompting Sophie to reluctantly let her go. She was going to put her annoyance with Cassidy on the back burner to get her medical needs taken care of.

Caroline burst into the lounge where Donna and Miranda sat anxiously waiting. "Mom," she panted. 

Miranda leapt to her feet, "Caroline, why are you all wet?"

Caroline rolled her eyes, "because Cassidy threw a tantrum and landed us in the water. Her cast is completely soaked."

"She'll have to go to the mainland to get that taken care of." Donna said with concern. "The ferry will be here in a few minutes."

"Well, come on then," Miranda demanded, full of authority, like a true hbic.

Donna grabbed her keys, "brave the Jeep again?"

"For one of my girls, _yes_." Miranda was already heading for the door, "just get me down there as fast as possible."

Miranda launched herself out of the Jeep and stomped down the dock to her soaking, fuming, pained daughter. "We have to go to the mainland."

"I don't want to go with you." Cassidy scowled.

"I don't care how angry you are with me right now. I am furious with you. You had one thing you had to do. Don't get your cast wet." Miranda lead Cassidy to the end of the boat where she made her sit. "Now you've soaked your cast, you're going to have to get it changed, you're probably setting back your recovery by months. You probably won't be able to play lacrosse this upcoming year."

Cassidy started to cry. "If you hadn't-"

" _I_ wanted to talk about. If you hadn't stormed off like a spoiled brat this wouldn't have happened."

"If Caroline hadn't-"

"No." Miranda ground out, "no, don't deflect. This is entirely your fault. No one else's."

Miranda crossed her arms across her chest and fumed.

Cassidy's bottom lip trembled and she watched Miranda while Miranda tapped her foot and pointedly ignored Cassidy's pouting lips and pleading eyes. Damned if Miranda was going to make this easier for Cassidy.

Half the ride went by before Cassidy finally spoke to her, "it just hurt my feelings!" Miranda turned to her, waiting for her to continue, "it hurt that you didn't want to share it with us. You know, like you found this thing that made you happy and we couldn't be a part of it, you kept us out of it. Like you didn't want us to be involved in your happiness."

Miranda's expression softened, "Cass..." she sighed softly, "that was never my intent. I've just been afraid that this happiness won't last. I didn't want you to share my sadness if it ended."

"Yeah right, have you seen the way Donna looks at you? I think you're stuck with her." Cassidy offered a timid smile. 

Miranda returned it. She sighed again. "I am sorry." She looked down and pursed her lips. "For whatever that's worth... I _am_ sorry."

Cassidy looked down at her lap and sniffed. "Me too." She whispered.

They didn't get back to the island until almost dinner time. By that time they'd very nearly forgiven each other. Miranda's patience was pushed to its limits and her nerves were thoroughly gotten onto. 

The language barrier had proven to be more difficult than she'd anticipated. She spoke very good French and decent Italian. She didn't know a word of Greek but she thought she'd at least be able to find someone who spoke Italian. They'd finally located a local who spoke French fluently, once he was found the doctor's visit was easy.

Dinner was grudgingly silent. 

There was nothing worse than a Miranda silent treatment, nothing more frightening or anxiety-provoking. Caroline was very grateful that it wasn't directed at her. Cassidy just felt like crying and had scarcely stopped all day.

"Caroline," Donna said, smiling and standing, after dinner ended, "would you help me in the kitchen?"

Caroline stole a glance at Miranda and nodded, "yeah, of course." 

Cassidy and Miranda were alone in the room and, at first, neither of them spoke. Then both of them spoke at once and stopped so the other could continue and the room fell into silence again.

Cassidy stood up and moved to Miranda. She threw her arms around Miranda's neck and hugged her tightly, her eyes were squeezed shut and her face buried pitifully into Miranda's hair. Miranda wrapped her arms around Cassidy and held her close.

Miranda kissed her temple, "I'm sorry, Cassidy."

"I love you mom, and I'm glad you're happy and I just want to be happy with you, I just want to be included in your life."

Miranda rubbed her back, "sweetie, of course, I always want you to be included in my life, you and Caroline are the most important people in the world to me. Truly. I love you." 

"Do you think Donna would mind if I hugged her too?"

Miranda laughed a little, "I don't think she'd mind." Something did suddenly occur to her, "let's keep this between us, though, don't tell your father." 

"Hey, believe me, I'm not getting into that can of worms."


	14. Chapter 14

Island paradise was rainy for the next few days. Miranda and Donna did a lot of cuddling and reading while the girls did a lot of Scrabble practicing.

Miranda was feeling wonderfully comfortable and relaxed. She was even more excited about her relationship with Donna now that she could share it with the girls. It also terrified her that she could so easily sit in a room absentmindedly playing with Donna's hair as she read and the girls played Scrabble on the coffee table.

Donna felt at ease too. In a way that she never had with any of the men she'd dated. She wasn't sure if it was age-related or gender-related. She just felt much more in tune to Miranda, more in sync with her and her feelings. She understood Miranda and was understood in a way she couldn't imagine a man could.

Miranda peered over her book at Caroline's letters, "zephyr. Using the z from Cass's zoo, lands you on a double word score. 46 points."

Caroline grinned, placing the tiles on the board.

Cassidy stared at Miranda slackjawed, looking betrayed. "Mom! That's not fair!"

"Show me your letters." Cassidy quickly complied. Miranda thought about it for a moment, glancing at the board. "Wallow, extended off of wall. Makes wade there on the bottom, althouhg I will point out that ade is not a word, but since it didn't get pointed out earlier I'll ignore it. 20 points total for wallow, wade gets you 24 because of the triple word. 44 points. Now I'm sorry I ever started playing."

Donna smiled, "you're really good at Scrabble."

"I'm a layout perfectionist. I can see every possibility."

"That's like your super power!" Cassidy laughed, "able to win whole scrabble games in a single turn! In the sky... it's a zephyr, no it's Miranda Priestly!"

"No more sugar for you today." Miranda said playfully. "We need to get out of here. I think you two have cabin fever."

"I know where there's karaoke." Donna announced and the girls wiggled with excitement.

Miranda groaned inwardly but agreed to accompany them nonetheless. Miranda went up to the bar and got herself a Long Island iced tea. She sat at the table with Donna and the girls, including Sophie, as the twins sang three songs, Sophie sang two and Donna sung one with Sophie. 

The twins bounded up onto the stage and grabbed Sophie for a chorus of Girls Just Wanna Have Fun. Donna came down from the stage and sat down next to Miranda.

Miranda smiled and set down her drink. "You sing really well,"

"Thanks." Donna's hand ran along Miranda's back, "you should get up and sing something."

Miranda shook her head firmly and unwaveringly. "No." 

"Come on, it'll be fun." Donna grinned, taking Miranda's hand.

"Donna, no." Miranda hissed through her gritted teeth.

"You'll never know until you try," Donna insisted with an amicable smile. "Like the dancing thing." 

"No." Miranda yanked her hand away from Donna, "I don't want to. There's a difference between getting me to try new things and making me do something I don't want to do." Miranda growled.

Donna was taken aback. She sank back in her chair, too stunned to speak, and not sure what she should say once she found her tongue. "I'm sorry." She said softly and as soon as she said it it sounded contrived and obnoxious. She wanted to kick herself.

"I don't want to be here." Miranda rubbed her forehead and cast her eyes downward. 

Miranda had vivid, unsettling memories of one of her first boyfriends. His name was Michael and his behavior had bordered on abusive. He would grab her by the wrist when she said no and he'd shake her. 

That wasn't to say that she thought Donna was abusive, but the gesture of taking her by the hand and insisting was a powerful reminder. 

Miranda's heart pounded in her chest in a suffocatingly hollow way. 

And she was 19 again. She had spent all the years from then until now being a force to be reckoned with, being the abuser instead of the abused, being a class A pain in the ass. Yet, somehow 6 months of abuse was stronger than almost 40 years of prowess. 

Miranda Priestly was not a victim. She downed the rest of her drink and stood up. Her head spun a little. 

"I don't want to disturb the girls though, they're having fun." 

"Sophie, come here," Donna beckoned her daughter when Girls Just Wanna Have Fun ended. She held out the Jeep keys, "Miranda and I are going to walk back." 

Sophie nodded, glancing at Miranda out of the corner of her eye. "Yeah, no problem." She took the keys and pocketed them. She wanted to ask questions but decided against it. 

The girls looked on, they saw Miranda waiting in the shadows near a post. This was odd. 

Donna kissed Sophie's cheek and lead Miranda out of the building and into the cool night air.

"I wonder why mom looked so weird and freaked out." Cassidy mused, watching the empty space that Miranda just vacated. 

"Was she drunk?" Caroline shrugged. 

"I don't think she had enough." Cassidy shook her head, "she's drank way more than that before. She only had one glass of whatever." 

"Why didn't she want to sing?" Caroline pressed, knowing full well that her twin didn't have the answers anymore than she did, "she has a pretty voice."

"Yeah, but she's operatic. I didn't see Ave Maria or Carmen on the karaoke list."

Donna and Miranda walked wordlessly down the beach. Miranda watched the sand and her feet as they walked. Miranda could feel Donna's eyes on her, she knew that she wanted her to say something. She wanted to be forgiven. Miranda felt humiliated and hurt and she wasn't particularly obliged to absolve Donna's guilt just yet. 

Donna ran her fingers through her hair and expelled a breath.

The night air was cold. The rain had cooled everything off and as the low clouds blocked most of the setting sun the air had a distinct chill. 

Donna heaved another heavy sigh. "Talk to me?" She urged gently. 

Miranda shook her head but reached over and grabbed Donna's hand. She threaded her fingers between Donna's and squeezed. Donna shut her eyes for a moment and the corners of her lips twitched as her eyes welled up. 

When she looked up at her silver haired lover she saw tears in her eyes too. "Miranda, I'm so sorry," she stopped in front of her, making her stop. Miranda looked up at Donna. Donna reached up and cupped her cheek, wiping away a few stray tears. Donna rested her head against Miranda and tried to keep herself from crying, "I never meant to hurt you, I am so sorry." 

Miranda closed her eyes and stayed still.

"Your silence is killing me." 

_That's the idea._ Miranda thought. _That is exactly the idea._

"I'm not moving from this spot until you talk to me." Donna said, sniffing back tears, "yell at me, scream at me, tell me off. I want you to tell me I'm incompetent or that you're sorry you ever met me. Tell me I'm useless!" 

"Why?" Miranda asked, brow furrowed in shock, breaking her silent treatment. She stared at Donna in shock and astonishment, mixed with a bit of anger. 

"Everything I've heard about you... Because your reputation precedes you, truly, because everything I've heard about you says that you are incapable of being nice, how nothing is ever satisfactory and you tell everyone how stupid and incompetent they are! You don't bite your tongue, those are the things you think! You're not honest with me!"

"I'm not doing this." Miranda pursed her lips, turning and heading towards the inn. 

"Say something truthful!"

Miranda turned around, despite herself, "I am truthful!" She cried, her tears flowing freely, "I'm always truthful with you!"

"Bullshit!" Donna screamed, "bull _shit_! I will not put up with being some prissy diva's dirty secret! Tell me the truth, Miranda!"

"Go to hell! That's the truth!" Miranda was fuming, "I'm very angry with you! Why do you want me to treat you that way? I treat everyone else that way and everyone else leaves me! I don't want to yell at you, I don't want to scream at you. The truth? I love you. I feel differently about you than I've ever felt for anyone in my entire life and I've been terrified to push you away. But congratulations! Congratulations, you've made me scream and I am _sorry_."

Donna paused. Miranda's chest heaved with exhileration, she was shaking with... with... she didn't know. She was livid. She shook. She stood there and shook and stared at Donna.

"Sorry you met me?" Donna asked in a small voice. 

"No." Miranda said without hesitation. She shook her head and blew out a breath. She ran her fingers, of both hands, through her hair. She shook her head again, "how could I be sorry I met you?" She whispered. 

Donna sank down into the sand. She sighed and pulled her knees up to her chest looking out at the unruly storm waves. 

Miranda walked back to her and sat down next to Donna. She pulled her knees up to her chest too and watched the waves crashing against the rocks and the sandy beach. Miranda sighed and leaned her forehead head against Donna's temple.

Donna wiped at her eyes, "I... I just don't want you to keep anything from me. I want you to tell me when you don't want to go somewhere or do something. I don't want to think that you'd just say yes to everything because you're afraid I'll leave you." She closed her eyes, "I don't want that. I want this to be real."

"It is real."

"It can't be real unless you're true to yourself. It isn't fair to _you_ , do you know how quickly you'd burn out? God... you can't go through life just trying to make someone else happy. You have to be happy. I couldn't live with myself if I thought that my happiness was at the expense of yours."

"I just want to be the best version of myself for you." 

"I love you for who you are and I don't want a version. I don't want some version of yourself that you think I'd like. I want the real you. I _love_ you."

Miranda smiled a little. "I love you, too." Donna smiled and reached out to touch Miranda's face gently. "And Donna?"

"Yeah?" She whispered.

"I think that blue dress you have is hideous..."

Donna laughed and wiped the tears out of her eyes.


	15. Chapter 15

Miranda's eyes fluttered open. For a minute or two she didn't know where she was. Donna's hold on her waist tightened when Miranda moved. 

Sand. They'd fallen asleep on the beach. 

_The waves crashed as they looked on._

_Donna laughed, wiping her eyes. She felt better. "You really hate my blue dress?"_

_"Darling, I hate it like burning." Miranda laughed, wiping at her eyes, "it's cotton and it's an unflattering shape and the color... it's such a bad shade for you. And... I love you even more for wearing it. Your lack of fashion sense is one of the most endearing things about you."_

_"You're too much," Donna grinned, "you're... you defy words."_

_"In a good way, I hope."_

_"I'll show you," Donna whispered, slipping her arms around Miranda and pulling her to her and kissing her, softly at first and then harder as Miranda returned the kisses._

_Miranda buried her fingers into Donna's hair and put her legs down, Donna straddled her hips._

Miranda turned over in Donna's arms and held her to her body. Miranda kissed her jawline and then up to her temple. 

Donna mmmed softly, digging her fingernails into Miranda's jacket.

_Miranda's hands reached down and cupped Donna's ass, lifting her up and rising her hips to grind against her._

_Donna's temperature was already rising. Nevermind that there was a chill in the air because her blood was hot and coursing through her veins. She moaned into Miranda's mouth as one of Miranda's hands worked furiously to unbutton and push her pants down._

_Donna sat up on her knees and pushed her jeans down her hips, desperate for Miranda to touch her. Desperate for Miranda to feel how much she needed her._

_Donna's head lolled back and Miranda's teeth raked over Donna's throat and Donna bucked her hips._

_Miranda latched onto the soft skin of Donna's neck where it met her shoulder. Donna moaned. "What do you want?" Miranda purred, her voice low and dripping with lust._

_Donna's chest heaved, she grabbed Miranda's hand and pushed it down into her underwear. "I want you to fuck me." She ground out._

"I always thought it was only men who fell asleep after sex," Miranda murmured into Donna's ear. 

Donna grinned against her neck, "maybe we're just old." 

Miranda laughed and hid her face in Donna's soft blonde curls. "Maybe." Miranda nipped at Donna's neck, "I don't think I mind getting old as long as we can keep having sex like that." 

"No arguments from me," Donna pulled Miranda in for a kiss.

_Miranda wasted no time. The feel of Donna's desire, her blue eyes dark with desire, her pupils dilated in the dim light. Miranda pushed three fingers into Donna._

_Donna cried out but quickly bit her lip to stifle the sound, lest they be overheard._

_Miranda seemed far less concerned about the noise they were making as she used one arm around Donna's waist to help steady her as she pushed her fingers harder and deeper into Donna._

_Donna thought she was going to explode, she wanted to scream. It felt so good, so intoxicating, so primal. Her heart was pounding in her ears._

_Miranda buried her face against Donna's chest. She used her hips to help drive her fingers, she grunted and bucked and moaned. Donna writhed and hissed and moaned. She rose up and pushed down, using the stone wall behind Miranda as a means to steady herself._

"How long did we sleep?" Donna asked running her hand through Miranda's hair, pushing it over her face, making her smile. 

Miranda shook her head, her hair more or less falling back into place. "I don't know," she whispered, tracing Donna's collarbone. "We should probably head back. If the girls beat us back... or already have... they might worry." 

Donna nodded in agreement. She put a hand on the damp sand and pushed herself up with a groan. "Old. Definitely old." 

She stood and held out a hand to Miranda who accepted it and got to her feet, using the wall to steady herself.

_"Oh, oh, oh, oh!" Donna's fingers dug into the wall to the point of being painful. Her orgasm building, "ohhh, ohhhhh..."_

_Her eyes squeezed shut, her breathing coming in shallow gasps and moans. "Miranda... ohhhh Miranda..."_

_Miranda let go of her back and pulled her shirt front down and took one of her nipples into her mouth, sucking, swirling her tongue around the sensitive bud, feeling herself throbbing with lust, the wetness between her legs pooling in the most delicious, hot, sensation. "Donna!" She gasped._

_Donna's body contracted and she let out a long low moan as all her muscles clenched and released. Her head swam, her body felt light and heavy, her eyes lolled back into her head. She moaned. God, she moaned..._

_Miranda held her tightly, now slowly pushing and pressing against her most sensitive spot. Donna's body writhed against Miranda until she came again._

_At that point Donna collapsed into Miranda's arms and they fell back onto the sand. Their chests heaved and their hearts raced. They clung to each other desperately._

_Miranda reached down and pulled Donna's pants up, squeezing her lovingly and turning them so that they each laid on their side._

_Donna was soothed and calmed listening to Miranda's breathing. She brought her hand up to rest on Miranda's heart. She felt Miranda smile against her forehead. Miranda brought her hand up to press Donna's harder against her beating heart._

_"It's for you." She whispered breathlessly._

Miranda and Donna walked in silence. Within minutes they could see the inn. Miranda watched it as it got bigger as they approached it. She smiled.

Donna looked up at her and couldn't resist smiling back. "What?"

"I'm really glad that... that we talked about what we talked about." Miranda admitted. "I will never tell you that you're incompetent and I most certainly will never tell you that I'm sorry that I met you. But I do promise to always speak my mind." 

"And I promise you the same thing." 

"I also realized something."

"What's that?"

"Arguments are important. I always thought that arguments were the reasons that relationships failed and I never really thought that agreeing could be so equally damaging. But it really can. I love you and because I love you, I promise to disagree with you, I promise to argue with you and I promise to offend you."

Donna laughed, "I promise to always take you with a grain of salt. I promise not to get caught up in the moment too much. I promise to always make you work for it, I promise to test your patience. I promise to argue with you when you're wrong and I promise to constantly remind you why I'm different from everyone else you know."

"You have to promise me one other thing."

"What's that?" 

"That we can always have such good make up sex." 

Donna pretended to pause and consider. "Oh alright."


	16. Chapter 16

Miranda had never spent a vacation in as many states of undress (barring Germany '89 but that was another story entirely). Sophie had commandeered the twins, taking it upon herself to ensure they enjoyed themselves, much like a big sister. The absence of their daughters allowed Donna and Miranda to spend almost all of their time exclusively with each other.

Miranda lay on her stomach with her eyes closed. Donna reached into a basket and pulled out another hot stone, she laid it between Miranda's shoulder blades.

Miranda let out a soft moan, "Donna... I am re-officially the luckiest person on the planet. How did you learn hot stone massage?" 

"Well, people have been doing it for a very long time. When I was young and I first moved here I got a job as a live-in nurse to an older woman. She swore by hot stone massage." Donna placed two more hot stones on Miranda's shoulder blades. 

"Well, god bless her." Miranda murmured into the bed.

Donna smiled. "I was thinking that I should come visit you in New York sometime."

"Well..." Miranda started, too relaxed to muster the vehement protests she wanted to assert. The first two things that flashed into her mind were running into Lucas and running into Irv. Images of catastrophe and life ruining events reeled past her mind's eye. _Oy vey._ "I don't think that's a great idea."

Miranda could see it now! "Oh, Miranda, who is this?" Irv would extend a hand, his lips curling into a grin, he'd undoubtedly try to flirt with her. Miranda would feel sorry for his wife if she wasn't an even more self-important bitch than Miranda, herself. 

Donna would smile her winning smile that Miranda loved and then she'd say it. She'd just say it, she'd accept his hand politely, because was wonderful like that, and say, "I'm Donna. I'm sleeping with Miranda."

Alright, so she probably wouldn't say it just like that. She'd say it with much more tact, yes, but she'd say it. She wouldn't understand that Miranda simply could not afford to have _lesbian_ on her permanent record.

And Lucas! Lucas, for Christ's sake. If she talked to him he'd be in court revoking her custody in a New York Minute. 

The absolutely unthinkable, the disaster of disasters, would be Donna stopping by Runway and seeing Miranda in true form. It was one thing for Donna to say she'd heard about her reputation and it was another thing entirely to see it. 

How could Miranda really expect anyone to love her after seeing her abuse and berate her employees. She hated herself, she couldn't even fathom spending her life with someone like her. How could she expect Donna to love that woman if she couldn't even defend her attitude to herself. 

Donna was silent for a few moments. "Miranda," she said with firmness. The statement wasn't a question but it wasn't completely rhetorical. 

"I feel a little vulnerable like this." Miranda admitted, craning her neck to see Donna's face, trying hard not to disturb the stones.

"How apropos. I feel pretty vulnerable too." Donna folded her arms across her chest. "Why is it a bad idea?"

Miranda had to pause. "Why is it a bad idea..." She repeated slowly.

Donna stood there waiting. She wasn't going to make this easier for Miranda. 

"Just that should you leave the inn for that long? Once I get you into my townhouse I'm not going to want to let you leave."

Donna narrowed her eyes at Miranda. She knew that wasn't what Miranda was thinking, she knew that was a cover up. She recognized that the look in her eyes was insecurity and not blatant deception. 

She'd let it slide. For now.

"Of course I can, I'm the boss." Donna smiled, she was prepared to shoot down any objection. _Bring it on,_ she thought, _let's get to the root of this._

Miranda sighed, "I'm just worried you'll be disappointed in me." She confessed, "I'm afraid I'll spend too much time at the office and you won't want to stay."

There was the truth. Donna smiled reassuringly and kissed Miranda's temple, "oh Mira, I understand that you have a demanding job." Donna ran her fingers through Miranda's hair, "New York City is a place that I've always wanted to go. I wouldn't run out of things to look at even if I'm there for years and you ignore me for two thirds of the time." Donna laughed.

Miranda laughed, too, despite herself. She wiped at her wet eyes. "Promise me you'll always put up with my bullshit." 

"Always, beautiful." She kissed her temple. "Always."

"We don't want to go." Cassidy pouted as she and Caroline clung to Sophie. 

Sophie held them both in an impossibly tight hug. "I'm sure you can come and visit again. Or maybe I'll visit you in New York someday."

Donna and Miranda leaned their heads against each other and kept their eyes closed. "I've always been bad at goodbye." Miranda whispered.

"I noticed." Donna smiled, playfully. "But this isn't goodbye, I'll see you again really soon and I'll talk to you all the time."

"September." Miranda opened her eyes and lifted her head. Donna looked up and looked into Miranda's eyes. "Come spend September with me in New York?" 

Donna smiled hugely and nodded, "yes, I think that sounds great." 

"Andrea?" Miranda sighed into the phone, "I know it's late and it's a Saturday night but would you come over and have dinner with me?" 

"Yeah, I'll catch the subway, what time is it?"

"I," Miranda paused, "I already sent Roy, he'll be there soon."

Andy laughed, "I'll see you soon."

Miranda opened a bottle of her favorite red wine and served steak. "I just spent a month surrounded by people and it's pure torture to come home and not have Donna and Sophie and Skye but also to have to send the girls to their father's." Miranda shook her head and sipped the wine, "I obviously miss my girls when they're not around but I used to revel in my alone time."

Andy sipped her wine, not as big a fan of it as Miranda, but still able to appreciate a good vintage, a skill learned from Nate. Andy nodded, "after my boyfriend moved out-"

"I'm sorry your boyfriend moved out." Miranda interrupted.

Andy laughed a little, "he was jealous of you actually."

Miranda quirked an eyebrow at Andy, "come again?"

"No, I'm serious. He said to me once that the person who's calls I always took, that was the relationship I was in." Miranda didn't look like she was going to fly off the handle so she continued. "And there was really a lot of truth in it. Can I confess something?"

"Of course."

"I was a little bit in love with you. It took me a while to really quantify it, I feel silly because I always thought I was really self-aware. I credit you for really shaking me up and making me think differently about myself." Andy smiled, "and don't go getting a big head about it." 

Mirand smiled smugly, "well, traditionally in Paris I get rather drunk and I have ended up in bed with quite a few surprising people." 

"Did you sleep with Emily?" Andy bit her lip on a grin.

"No, I didn't, actually. Almost, but not quite." Miranda refilled their wine glasses. "I did sleep with Jaqueline though."

"I thought so." Andy laughed, "the way you two glared at each other I knew there was a story there. At first I thought that maybe you'd had a fight over a man but then I thought about the way her eyes fluttered shut and a very small smile came across her face when you kissed each other's cheeks. Then I got it." 

"I would have slept with you in Paris." Miranda admitted, her cheeks were colored by the wine.

"I like the way things worked out between us though. I would have given my right arm to sleep with you but I'm really glad that we can be friends now, instead. You are so obviously in love with Donna and I love that I've been able to be a part of that." 

Miranda poured the last of the wine into Andy's glass. "I'm glad that you made me get over myself a little. I think if you hadn't I couldn't have been able to have what I have with Donna." 

Andy laughed, "my pleasure, Miranda." Andy lifted her glass only to remember that it was empty. 

"I have scotch." Miranda announced, standing and wobbling a little.

"Mom, come see the pictures from the trip!" Cassidy yelled down the hall.

"I'm only two doors down, darling," Miranda emerged from her study, "there is no reason to yell." 

Miranda entered Caroline's room where the twins sat hunched over Caroline's computer with the digital camera. After going through the pictures once Miranda was helping the girls decide which ones to print.

Her cell phone vibrated in her pocket. "It's Donna, I'm going to take it in the study."

"Goodnight, mom." The girls bid her goodnight.

"Hey beautiful." She closed the door behind her. "The girls were just showing me the pictures they took."

"Just now?"

"Yeah, well they've been with their father since they got back." Miranda settled into her comfortable chair, "I was lucky to be able to have them for the month. Lucas and I have joint custody, so I get every other week."

"That must be really hard. I couldn't imagine doing that." Donna thought about Sophie and how close they'd been able to be because it was always just the two of them. 

"It is hard, but that's what happens when a marriage fails." Miranda shrugged, "of all of my husbands to be stuck with forever I think I'm glad it was Lucas."

Donna laughed.

Miranda breezed into the office with her usual flare and poise. She threw her wrap and purse at Tia and retreated into her office.

Emily stood up from her desk and deposited the steaming hot cup of coffee onto Miranda's desk. Miranda picked it up and sipped it. 

Emily wrang her hands nervously. It was against her better judgement and Nigel's explicit urgings that she started the conversation, but once she'd started she could hardly stop. 

"Thank you." She blurted out.

Miranda furrowed her brow and looked at her assistant with confusion. "What's gotten into you?"

"Did you have a good vacation?" 

"Are you drunk?" Miranda leaned back in the chair, taking in Emily's tense expression. "You asked me that last week when I came back."

"Did Donna have a nice vacation?"

This made Miranda stop. She stared at Emily. "What?"

"I just." Emily shrugged and scuffed her foot a little, "I'm just glad you're happy. I wanted to tell you."

Emily turned and left the office, leaving Miranda speechless and slackjawed; a very _very_ rare sight, indeed.

That night Miranda was working late on the layout. She'd been happy to leave work for a month but was more than happy to be back at it. The girls were at one of their friends' birthday party/slumber party so she didn't have to worry about getting home. 

Emily had just worked her magic and accomplished the impossible. She'd set up three photoshoots to Miranda's specifications exactly. It was times like this that she truly did love her job. She did her job perfectly so Miranda's could go more smoothly. That was thanks enough.

Tonight, it was just them. Miranda stood up from her desk and went to stand in front of Emily's desk.

Emily smiled triumphantly up at her boss, "all three photoshoots are ready to go for tomorrow."

"Donna's coming to stay with me in September." Miranda said, "I want to do something special for her and I need you to help me make it happen."

Emily smiled proudly, " _anything_ , Miranda."


	17. Chapter 17

"Mom! We're going to be late!" Cassidy protested, "the doctor only has 3 to 4 available today to take off the cast!"

"Donna's plane hasn't even landed yet, bobsey, what do you want me to do?" 

"I could just go with Roy." 

"Oh baby," Miranda sighed. She looked up at the time and sighed, "I don't want you to go alone. I wanted to be there with you."

"And I can appreciate that but it's, like, almost 3:20 and I don't want to wait until next week to get it off." Cassidy reasoned, " _pleeeease_."

"Maybe Caroline could go with you." 

"No way, I want to be here to greet Donna." 

" _Mo-ooom_." 

"Alright, alright." Miranda nodded, feeling anxious from being made to answer this question without any real thought. "Yes, I'll call Roy and he'll take you. When you're done you stay there and wait for us, understood? Roy has to come back here to pick us up and then I wanted to take everyone out for dinner."

"Thanks mom!" Cassidy jumped forward and crushed Miranda in a tight hug. "Thank you, thank you!" 

Miranda pulled out her Blackberry and told Roy to pick Cassidy up at the front and to take her to the doctors, wait until she got in to see the doctor and then come back. Miranda didn't like it but she knew that receptionist had known the twins since they were three and would gladly keep an eye on her. 

Miranda just hoped that Donna's plane would not be much later.

Andy slipped her cell phone in her pocket, she'd gotten out of work and was now trying to decide how to kill an hour before she met Lily and Doug for dinner and drinks. She was walking down the road and ran into a familiar face. 

"Hey," she smiled, "what are you doing back in New York?"

Nate shifted his messenger bag on his shoulder, "I had a couple things to take care of."

"And you weren't going to call." 

"I didn't think you'd want to hear from me."

"We may not be together anymore but we were friends before we were a couple. Of course I'd want to hear from you!" Andy insisted, "I'm getting together with Lily and Doug for dinner and drinks, you have to come!" 

Nate hesitated for a moment, but smiled, "okay." Then he smiled a little more surely, "yeah, I'd love to."

Donna's plane landed at 3:45 and by some miracle the group was out of the airport and into the town car by 4:10. Miranda and Donna sat next to each other and Caroline across from them.

Miranda reached over and took Donna's hand, she squeezed it gently as Caroline and Donna chatted familiarly. It just made Miranda smile. 

Miranda went into the doctor's office. She saw no reason to drag the whole entourage into the office so she went singularly. Cassidy waved at her with a huge smile as soon as she came into view.

"It came off! How does it feel?" Miranda smiled. 

"It feels great, mom." Cassidy couldn't stop smiling, "I'm going to be able to play lacrosse and everything, it's great. Oh and I have to tell you before-"

"Miranda," Lucas greeted as he entered from the other room.

"Lucas..." 

"Cass called me because Dr. Swanson wanted one of us here just to cover his ass." Lucas squeezed Cassidy's shoulder with affection, "and you were picking someone up from the airport so she called me."

 _Could have given me a little warning, Cassidy... thanks a lot..._

"I would have been here with her but the plane was late."

Lucas shrugged, "you don't have to tell me, I've been talked into much stupider things by our daughters." 

Miranda resented the implication that it was stupid to send Cassidy on her own but decided to bite her tongue considering he was being quite polite. 

"Are you ready, bob?" 

"Yup!" Cassidy grinned, letting Miranda put a hand on her head and guide her in the direction of the door.

Lucas followed.

Miranda scowled to herself, but of course he'd follow, there was no reason to stay in the doctor's office. It still bothered her. 

"Thanks dad," Cassidy hugged Lucas when they got to the curb. 

Caroline caught a glimpse of Lucas through the window and jumped out, "dad!" She hugged him too.

Miranda stood by the car, feeling like she should be cordial. "Thank you for being with her." 

"No problem." He insisted shoving his hands into his pockets.

 _I'm not going to invite you to dinner. Please do not stand there like you're waiting for me to... just walk to your car..._

"So, I'll see you on Monday when you pick up the monsters?" 

"Yeah," he nodded, "yeah, I'll see you Monday." He kissed both girls' foreheads before walking to his car and getting in.

The girls climbed in and buckled up. They knew better than to speak to Miranda after she had to speak with Lucas. Donna seemed to understand that unspoken rule as well because she took Miranda's hand, threaded her fingers through hers and squeezed. 

Friday morning, Miranda groaned when her alarm clock went off. 

Donna grinned against her neck, "you have to get up..." she teased sleepily, "you have to get up and I get to sleep in." 

"Jerk." Miranda teased, pushing herself out of bed and rubbing her eyes. She turned around and kissed Donna sweetly, "you have full use of my driver. You have my number, my assistant's number and the girls' numbers." 

Donna stretched out, "you're too good to me."

"On the contrary. I'm not nearly good enough." Miranda flashed a charming smile that made Donna melt. "I had my assistant get you this."

Donna took the outstretched cell phone, "Miranda, you can't give me a cell phone."

"It's just a prepaid and a very straightforward phone. No one should be without a cell phone in New York City. No arguments from you, got it?" 

"Emily," Serena approached the redhead as she brought Miranda's coffee into her office. 

"Serena," Emily smiled, leaning in and kissing her. 

"Emily, we need to talk."

Miranda was only 20 minutes late getting into the office. Surprisingly, mostly delayed by Caroline and Cassidy's protestations to getting out of bed. 

Miranda threw her wrap and purse at Tia. "Call Donatella and Anne Klein, confirm my meetings. Do not make any appointments for me after 6 any day this month, I have a house guest." She vaguely registered a sniffle behind her, giving her pause, but she continued, "pick up the clothes for the Jimmy Choo shoot. I want lunch promptly at 2. It is imperative that everything on my schedule happen at the right time."

She heard the stifled sniffle again and stopped. "That's all."

Emily got up and followed Miranda into her office. She handed over Miranda's coffee as she sat at her desk. "I got your tickets." Emily laid the four tickets onto the desk, "and the backstage passes." 

Miranda leaned back in her chair. Then she sighed, unable to ignore it, "Emily, why are you sniffling?"

"You don't want to hear about my problems."

Miranda pursed her lips, "your incompetence never ceases to amaze me. If I didn't want to hear it, I wouldn't have asked. Now spit it out." 

Emily was unable to hold it back, as per Miranda's insistence. "Serena broke up with me this morning."

Miranda bit the inside of her lip, "do you need to take the day off? Because I can't have you sniffling like that all day, it's distracting." 

"No, no. I need to work. I'm alright. I'm better than alright, I don't need her." Emily shook her head. "I need to work."

"Then for heaven's sake get back to your desk." Miranda sipped her coffee. "That is all."

Miranda ushered her entourage into the towncar, the four of them squished into the backseat. The girls were buzzing with excitement and their excitement was mirrored, somewhat less blatantly, in Donna.

"I do wish you three would be a little less excited." Miranda said coolly, "if you hate the surprise you're going to be upset that you wasted so much exuberance." 

"What's the surprise mom?!" Caroline demanded with an ear to ear grin.

"Oh, sweetheart," Miranda waved her off, "calm down, we're almost there."

"Mom, broadway?" Cassidy grinned, "are we seeing a show? Which one, mom?"

Miranda turned to Donna, "well, Ms. Sheridan, you seem to be the calmest of us all, setting a shining example for my girls." Miranda kissed her forehead, "one of us should be a good influence."

Donna grinned as Miranda planted the kiss, "I love surprises. Anticipation is one of the best things in the world."

"Gratification has its perks as well." Miranda smirked.

"That it does," Donna smiled, "but if you can't appreciate the anticipation then the gratification isn't as meaningful. I think it's far and away better to get something that you've been waiting for for forever."

Miranda squeezed Donna's hand. "I think I agree with you."

Roy stopped the car. 

"We're stopped!" Caroline bounced on the seat, trying to peer out the window, "what are we in front of?"

Miranda dug into her purse and produced the four tickets. "I have with me four tickets to see Wicked."

"No way, no way!"

"And I also managed to acquisition these things." Miranda feigned ignorance pulling the backstage passes out next. "Maybe you'd like these?"

"You're the best, mom, the best! Hands down!" Caroline and Cassidy leaped at their mother, hugging and bowing to her all in the same motion. 

"Alright, cretins, pile out of the car." She patted them on the backs as they passed, "your groveling sickens me." 

Pausing in the car, Donna ran a hand down Miranda's arm, "you're a good mother, Miranda. And an excellent significant other."

Miranda smiled.


	18. Chapter 18

"Drowning your sorrows?" Andy approached Emily, sitting next to her at the bar. 

"Thank the powers that be for 24-hour Starbucks." Emily turned her cup around in her hand a few times, "do you want one?"

"Yeah, I'll get it." Andy motioned to the barista and was given a mocha in a ceramic mug. "What brings you here so late on a Friday night?"

"Well," Emily sipped her coffee, "do you read Page Six?"

Andy nodded, "I heard about you and Serena."

"Well, you might as well unhear it, since it seems to be rendered quite moot." Emily set her coffee down and rubbed her eyes that were threatening to betray her cool, sarcastic façade. "The cow left me for some uppity Italian model." 

"If it makes you feel any better I got left for a restaurant in Boston."

Emily nodded, "yeah, it does a little." Andy laughed and nudged Emily. "What brings you here so late on a Friday?"

"I went to dinner and drinks with my friends and ex showed up. Well, he didn't _show_ up, I ran into him on the street and I invited him."

"That was stupid."

Andy laughed, "I panicked." She sipped her coffee, "I couldn't handle a run in conversation on the streets so I invited him to dinner, it was really stupid. I think he got the wrong idea -- no, I know he got the wrong idea -- because he thought that I wanted to get back together."

"And you didn't?"

"It was three years ago, I've moved on."

"Have you seen someone since?"

"I've moved on _emotionally_."

Emily stared at Andy, "so you've not been with someone for three years?" 

Andy blushed under the question. "If we're going to discuss sex, maybe we could move to a table?"

"Alright, but only because this conversation is starting to get interesting." Emily picked up her coffee and switched them to a table sidled up to a plush couch. She sat down on the end and Andy had to climb over her. "So," Emily sipped her coffee, biting back a grin.

 _At least I'm making you smile_. "He and I stopped having sex long before he left. He was mad at me for working at Runway because it kept me away a lot. The last time we had sex, actually, Miranda called me in the middle of it. After that he kept saying that every time he tried to get it going he could see the back of Miranda's head."

"That's a nice bucket of ice water for you, hm?" Emily was amused.

"I think I'm a little bit angry that he thinks that he wants to get back together with me now that I'm not working at Runway. Like, he encouraged me to follow my heart and do what I wanted but he left me because of Runway and he thinks that he can just come back. Like, he only wants it when it's easy."

"Well, let me tell you, women are just the same. That bastard ones, anyway." Emily sipped her coffee, "they tell you everything you want to hear and then they just leave you when they want something else."

Andy sipped her coffee.

Emily smiled, "you have..." she attempted to point, "you have foam on your nose."

"Oh." Andy blushed, she set down her cup, "I'm hopeless, I'm sorry." 

"I'll get it." Emily smiled and wiped it off of Andy's nose with a napkin. Andy smiled shyly. 

Andy's eyes fluttered shut and Emily couldn't resist the full lips, she leaned forward and kissed Andy softly.

Andy's eyes opened then, suddenly. She hadn't expected it, she swallowed and stared at Emily.

"I shouldn't have..." 

Andy cupped Emily's cheeks and pressed her lips to hers. 

Miranda was startled awake Saturday morning by the sound of popular music blasting through the house. She rolled out of bed and pulled on her robe. She stuck her head out into the hallway to see Cassidy staring at her with equal confusion.

"What's going on?" Miranda asked, even though it looked obvious that Cassidy had no idea. Donna peeked around Miranda, having pulled on a robe as well.

"Hey, you're all awake!" Caroline grinned. 

"Caro! What is your problem?" Cassidy snapped, running her fingers through her hair, "give me one good reason why I shouldn't throttle you and then go back to sleep."

"I'll do better, I'll give you two." Caroline laughed, "one, because you'd go to jail. Two because I made everybody breakfast."

"You did, bob, why?" Miranda was still confused.

"Because Cassidy's first lacrosse game of the season is today and it'll the first time she's played in a game since she got hurt and because Donna made us all breakfast a couple of times and, obviously, I'm wrangling for a really good Christmas present this year." Cassidy flashed her charming Priestly smile.

"Oh, Caroline, you're too much," Miranda pulled her daughter into a hug, "can the music be turned off though?"

"Yeah, I guess so." Caroline grinned against Miranda's shoulder.

"Caroline, thank you, this is a wonderful gesture." Donna was taken aback by the sentiment and felt warmed and loved and accepted. 

"Don't get ahead of yourself, Donna," Cassidy teased, "you haven't tasted the food yet." Cassidy yanked Caroline into a hug and then immediately into a playful headlock, "I love you but wake me like that again and I'll sacrifice jailtime for killing you."

Emily sat at her kitchen table with a hot cup of coffee. She was waiting. She was waiting for her guest to wake up. She took the first sip of her second cup of coffee as she heard the footsteps on the floorboards. 

"Do you want coffee?" The brit asked Andy as she entered the kitchen. 

Andy nodded, "please."

Emily got up and poured a cup, "I don't know how you take it."

"Black is fine." Andy sipped the bitter coffee. She leaned against the counter as Emily leaned against the opposite counter.

They sipped their coffees in silence for a few minutes.

"I got up early to prepare what I was going to say to you," Emily started, "I was going to tell you all of the reasons I thought we shouldn't see each other or whatever. I thought of all the reasons why I _hated_ working with you. You didn't care about what you ate, you didn't care about what you wore, you wouldn't just shut up and do what you were told to do, you were idealistic and a million things that drove me up the _wall_."

"Emily," Andy started but was cut off. 

"But then I realized those are all of the reasons that I... _would_ like to date you." Emily admitted, "I don't think this will be perfect and it'll all probably go to hell in handbasket but... maybe you'd like to go out with me sometime?"

Andy nodded, "yeah, I'd like that." Andy nudged her, "but right off the bat: I am going to eat carbs and you'll have to deal." 

"It's your arse, not mine." 

"Mom!" Caroline yelled from the bottom of the stairs, " _mo-om_! Cassidy's in the car already, come on!" 

"I'll be there in a _moment_." Miranda answered down. "I'm changing."

"Oh for heaven's sake, mom!" Caroline rolled her eyes, "it's a lacrosse game not an haute couture luncheon!" 

"I am _coming_." 

Caroline knew the tone and she knew that was the end of the discussion and she was just going to have to wait. Miranda descended the stairs in a pair of Jimmy Choo Open-Toe Espadrilles, a brand new pair of Alexander McQueen stretch jeans and a white Burberry London blouse. 

"Alright, alright." Miranda kissed Caroline's forehead, "let's get your sister to that game." 

Donna took Miranda's hand and they let Caroline lead them towards the car. "You look beautiful, Miranda." 

Miranda brought Donna's hand to her lips, "as do you, darling."

Miranda, Donna and Caroline settled into the bleachers. Miranda took out her Blackberry. "Business?"

"Shutting it off, actually." Miranda put it back into her pocket, "I think Emily needs a break from me as much as I need a break from work." 

Donna nudged Miranda, "so the girls and I get you all day today?"

"Actually, my children are being taken away from me after the lacrosse game." 

"A little dramatic, don't you think, Miranda?" Lucas sat down on the other side of Miranda. He leaned forward and smirked at Donna, "I'm Lucas, I'm the first ex-Mr. Priestly." 

"I'm Donna Sheridan." 

Caroline leaned forward even further, "she's from Greece, dad." 

"Greece? You don't sound Greek, is Sheridan Greek?" Lucas inquired.

Miranda shut her eyes and held in an aggrieved sigh. She felt like an embarrassed teenager whose new beau was being subjected to stupid questions by her father. She felt stupid for feeling it. 

"No, I'm originally from England but I've lived in Greece for nearly 30 years."

"Do you speak Greek?"

Donna laughed, "not nearly as well as I should." Miranda smiled, to herself, at Donna's easy laughter and thanked the powers that be for her kind heart and open personality. 

"The game's starting." Caroline interjected, drawing the adults' attentions away from the surreality of the conversation. 

Miranda slid her Prada sunglasses onto her nose and looked out onto the field. _This was going to be fuuun._


	19. Chapter 19

Miranda had to resist the urge to pull her cell phone back out and lose herself in a conversation that was anything other than sitting on a cold bench between Lucas and Donna. 

However, she was there for Cassidy and she knew she had to focus on that. Lucas, such as he was, was a good father and he loved the girls and for that she was grateful. 

Miranda pulled out her Blackberry and turned it on. She held it up and snapped a picture of Cassidy on the field. She was still unaccustomed to attending a sporting event and was startled by the yelling when a goal was made. 

By the end of the game, Miranda was on her feet. She hooted and hollered and screamed at bad calls. The ref and she were exchanging death glares and the ref seemed unbelievably relieved when the game not only ended, but ended the way Miranda wanted. 

Donna, Caroline and Miranda stood to go congratulate Cassidy on a game well played. Lucas's lips twitched into a small smile, "think I can talk to Miranda alone for a moment?"

Caroline nodded a little skeptically, "I'll show you the dugout, Donna." 

Miranda sat back down on the bleacher and looked down at her feet. Her toes were cold. "What do you want Lucas?"

"Hey, come on, you didn't tell me you were dating again." 

She looked up at him and stared at him, "I don't know what you're thinking, but I don't..."

"Miranda, I may not be a detective but I can string together two things to make a whole." Lucas laughed, "you have a house guest for a month. Miranda, that's revolutionary, you don't have friends, people don't _like_ you."

"I have friends, I have _a_ friend... or two..." 

"Don't get defensive."

"How can I not get defensive, you just called me unlikeable." 

"I said people don't like you, I didn't say people couldn't like you."

"I fail to see the inherent differences." Miranda pursed her lips.

"Don't do that," he shook his head, "don't close up and get all defensive, I'm not attacking you, let down the drawbridge. But as I was saying, Miranda, two and two equalling four? You spent a month on a secluded island in Greece, Donna's from Greece? Give me a little credit."

"Look," she said sharply, "I love those girls with every ounce of my being and if you do anything to try and take them from me, I swear to God, Lucas, you will regret it."

"Calm down, killer." Lucas smiled charmingly. "I don't _hate_ you that much. I even still kind of love you. I can't _stand_ you, but I do love you."

Miranda snorted.

"I have to say, though... I'm shocked. I didn't see _one_ label on her clothes and her hair looks like it cost under $20 to cut." Lucas laughed, "how did you ever win over a salt of the earth woman like that?"

Miranda smiled a little, despite herself. "Completely despite myself."

"Do the girls like her?"

Miranda nodded, "the girls love her. She actually made Cassidy stop pouting about the injury. She even played Scrabble with them."

"She took on the terrible twosome at Scrabble? She must be ass over tea kettle for you then." Lucas laughed heartily. "I'm glad that she likes the girls and that they like her so much. I'm even kind of glad that you're happy."

"As long as you're not going to try to rethink our custody agreement."

"You're a cynic."

"You threatened to try to revoke my custody when I eloped with Charles." 

"He's a compulsive gambler. That was the stupidest love interest you've ever pursued." Lucas shrugged, "maybe Donna's the smartest love interest you've pursued. How are you going to screw it up?"

"I'm not." Miranda stood up, "the girls are probably wondering in what manner I've killed you and how exactly I plan on disposing of your body." 

Lucas stood up, "can I hug you, Miranda?"

"I'd rather you didn't..." She took a step down the bleachers and Lucas wrapped his arms around her shoulders. "Lucas, I'm serious. I don't want a hug." 

"Alright, alright," he let her go. "Donna hasn't done anything to warm you up?"

"I am most certainly not going to talk to you about how Donna warms me up." 

"Mom!" Cassidy hugged Miranda, "you are such an obnoxious fan!mom." 

"I am in mourning for the days when you had nice quiet, peaceful musical recitals." Miranda kissed her forehead, "but I'm happy you're happy and as long as you're playing lacrosse I'm going to yell the loudest from the stands."

Andy had gone home and showered and was sitting on her bed with her laptop when her phone rang. Miranda. "Hello?"

"Dinner tonight? You said you wanted to meet her."

"Oh that's right! I didn't realize that that was this week, that's great. I'd love to." Then Andy remembered, "oh... I actually just made a date this morning. The first date I've had in a very long time."

"Well, use your judgment, if this date of yours would be compatible..."

"I get a plus one?" 

"That's what friends do, right?" Andy laughed and Miranda smiled a little, "I'm not making a joke... friends do that, yes?"

"Yes, Miranda." 

"You can promise me that Donna and I won't end up on Page Six courtesy of your plus one?" 

"Girl scout's honor." 

Miranda scoffed, "of course you were a girl scout." There was a playful air in her tone. "Dinner's at 7."

Miranda put her Blackberry on the table and turned to Donna who smiled up at her from her perch on the couch. "Dinner's at 7."

"Whatever will we do until then?" Donna batted her eyelashes. 

Miranda climbed over Donna on the couch and straddled her hips, "you can bet your ass it won't be scrabble." 

"Too bad," Donna whispered, feigning disappointment. She leaned up until her lips brushed just slightly against Miranda's, "I've been practicing."

"Oh, have you?" Miranda smirked, running her lips along Donna's. 

Donna pulled Miranda down to her, pressing her lips to hers, her fingers pulled Miranda's blouse up and she ran her fingers over Miranda's taut stomach. Her pointer finger gingerly traced Miranda's c-section scar. 

Miranda closed her eyes. Donna had always avoided specifically touching the scar before. She, in fact, hadn't noticed it for some time. She may, even, have never noticed it had Miranda not clumsily attempted to shield it when she thought Donna was staring at it. 

Miranda had eventually disclosed that the scar disgusted her. She hated it. She felt that it was her one physical failing. She believed, that in light of her internal torment and deeply rooted personality flaws, she was entitled to a flawless body. She very nearly had it. Her skin was still taut, thanks to a plethora of skin care products applied religiously each day, her hair, though white, was always perfectly in place, her stomach was taut. She was perfect. 

_Practically_ perfect. 

She had revealed to Donna that she viewed the almost imperceptible disfigurement as a personal failing. For this reason Donna paid it mind, because Miranda was beautiful, nay, gorgeous and this imagined flaw only contributed to her splendor. Donna had tried to explain that it was beautiful, it showed that it was in her nature to sacrifice for her children, it was a reminder that her body was capable of giving. 

Donna's insistances fell on deaf ears as Miranda's mind danced with horrific images of blood and gruesome thoughts of her stomach being sliced into while doctors extracted screaming, gooey babies from the depths of her womb. 

It was all a little too Sigourney Weaver for her taste. 

Donna was going to have to show Miranda how beautiful it was. She would prove to Miranda that it was as beautiful a feature of her body as her sculpted calf muscles. The woman was breathtaking -- the whole package. If it took the rest of their lives together to do it? Well, so be it. They'd at least have some delicious sex along the way.

Andy climbed the stairs to Emily's posh apartment. She wasn't sure how Emily would react to being taken to Miranda's for dinner but Andy decided that if their dating was going to end before it began she wanted to see her beforehand. 

She knocked on the door. Moments later Emily, trained for speed and precision by Miranda, swung the door open.

"Andy," she said, surprised, in her thick British lilt. "I wasn't expecting you until later. Is something amiss?"

Andy shook her head, "no, we're still on for later, I just wanted to see you first. Are you busy?" 

"No," Emily shook her head and stepped back, allowing Andy to enter. 

Andy and Emily looked shyly at one another for a few moments, exchanging giddy grins and shy smiles. Andy finally stepped forward and pressed her lips to Emily's. Emily ran her hand along Andy's hip. Loathe though she was to admit it, the bit of extra weight on Andy was much nicer to touch than the stick thin Serena. 

Emily was surprised that Andy was such a good kisser. Apparently Andy's defiant tongue had other uses. And thank God!

The two women were enjoying each other in the clear light of day. While neither of them had been intoxicated they had been caught up in the moment and this now felt like their first real contact.

Emily had always said that it was good to know if you enjoyed sex with a person before you decided to date them. It had always been awkward to find out that you were sexually incompatible when you had already decided you _liked_ someone. 

That was not a problem with Andy. The sex was great.

Andy's hands cupped Emily's ass and kneaded the skin through her skirt, starting to inch it up until her fingers made contact with Emily's creamy white British ass. 

Emily mmmed and leaned into the touch. "You sure that last night was the first time you'd been with a woman?" She murmured against her lips.

Andy blushed a little, "I just thought about what I'd like," 

Emily grinned, "I think you and I are going to get along just fine." Emily sucked Andy's bottom lip into her mouth. "You're a good kisser,"

"Mm?" Andy nibbled on Emily's lip, "so are you. Great kisser,"

Emily's fingers deftly opened the button on Andy's jeans and she pushed her fingers under the fabric and returning the favor, kneading her ass until Andy mmed again. Emily pushed Andy's jeans down until they pooled around her ankles.

Emily lowered herself to her knees to help her out of the jeans, carefully removing her socks and shoes. She gently sunk her teeth into Andy's calf, causing her to moan loudly. 

When Emily stood tall in front of Andy, she saw that the brunette's eyes had darkened with desire and she pushed her against the wall. The kisses were driven by pure need and lust, the desperation reaching new heights.

Andy hiked her leg up Emily's hip. Emily moaned and ran her fingers up Andy's inner thigh, the heat from her core was completely intoxicating. Emily easily slipped two fingers into Andy, who threw her head back with a moan.

Andy pushed two fingers into Emily. Emily spread her legs a little further apart, welcoming the penetration. "Three," Emily gasped, "three fingers."

Andy added the third finger and thrust her fingers deeply into Emily. The brit moaned and rolled her hips. Their moans and ragged breath mingled in the small kitchen as they each rode each others fingers for all they were worth. 

Emily's free hand clutched desperately at Andy's ass while Andy had to use her free hand to support herself against the wall. Emily groaned, Andy's fingers buried deep inside her was driving her wild, her hips bucked as she felt her orgasm building.

When Emily's orgasm washed over her she leaned back against the wall and took a moment to return to sanity. _Of course she came first._ Andy found herself thinking with an inner smile.

Emily got a wicked glint in her, making Andy quirk an eyebrow at her, unsure of her exact intentions. Emily grabbed Andy around the waist and flipped them around, shoving Andy against the wall and sinking to her knees in front of Andy once again. 

She dragged her tongue along Andy's wetness. Andy's knees weakened and she grabbed Emily's shoulders for support. When Emily's hot, wet tongue glided over her clit for the first time, Andy's leg started to shake. She squeezed her eyes shut and moaned loudly, biting down on her lip. 

Emily dug her fingers into Andy's ass as she swirled her tongue around her clit, the wonderful tension building in Andy, just when she was beginning to think that her body couldn't take anymore her orgasm overtook her and she slid down the wall, no longer trusting her legs. 

Emily sat back on her knees and watching Andy recover with a satisfied smirk. Andy opened an eye to look at Emily and had to grin and close her eyes again. "Jesus." She breathed. 

On the Upper East Side, Miranda and Donna found themselves in an equally compromising position. Miranda hovered over Donna on the settee. Miranda held Donna tightly against her, her arm around her waist, their stomachs grating against one another as Miranda's fingers thrust into Donna.

Donna's back arched, her eyes were squeezed shut and a series of low moans and growls escaping her lips with each push. One hand gripped the arm of the settee while the other was digging into Miranda's shoulder.

Miranda was lost in Donna, she was lost in the exquisite feeling of filling her lover. She moaned with her, her own arousal pooling between her legs. 

Donna came suddenly, the orgasm coursing through her, she gasped and dug her fingernails deep into Miranda's shoulder, leaving five little half moon shaped cuts. 

The cessation of Miranda's fingers didn't come until Donna came again and had to reach between them and push Miranda's fingers out of her and snapped Miranda out of her trance. "More will kill me," Donna breathed when Miranda looked at her with question, "oh my God, Miranda..." 

Miranda sat up, watching Donna. One rebellious little lock of hair had the nerve to break away from the perfectly sculpted hairstyle and fall into Miranda's face as she looked at her lover with glazed eyes. 

Donna pulled Miranda down on top of her and she held her tightly. "Miranda, you're bleeding, I'm sorry," Donna put her hand over the scratches protectively.

Miranda turned her head to look and shrugged, "doesn't hurt." 

"Can we put triple antibiotic on it for my peace of mind?" Donna batted her eyelashes at Miranda, "and maybe five little band aids?" She kissed up Miranda's jawline.

Miranda laughed, "I'll see what I can scrounge up."

Miranda watched Donna cook from the stool while she sipped a glass of wine. She'd started out helping but had almost lit the kitchen on fire and thus Donna took full responsibility for the cooking. 

"Can I do anything to help you?" Miranda asked guiltily from her stool.

Donna shrugged with a playful smirk, "it's your kitchen. If you want to see it go up in flames..."

"Would you let me cook in your kitchen?" 

" _My_ kitchen is made of _stone_. You'd have to try _really_ hard to light my kitchen on fire." 

"I'm very dedicated once I choose a project." Miranda teased, watching Donna move deftly around the kitchen. 

Miranda had opted not to learn how to cook as a way of rebelling against the idea that all women should cook. The idea of cooking a pot roast or, heaven forbid, a _meatloaf_ seemed so undignified. But Donna made it look elegant and effortless. It seemed like a dance that Donna had learned, it required knowing when to stir something, when to turn something down, when to cut vegetables. 

She could be honest, she envied the skill.

"You're going to set my kitchen on fire next time you visit, are you?" Donna laughed warmly.

"Yes," Miranda grinned into her wine glass. "Can I pour you a glass of wine?"

"Please." Donna nodded, gathering cut vegetables onto the large knife and using the smaller knife to push them into the boiling water. 

"You know, I think it's sexy to watch you cook." Miranda said as she poured. She brought it over to Donna, leaning her body against hers. She kissed Donna's neck, "do we smell like sex?"

Donna grinned and shrugged, "all I smell is broccoli,"

"You're such a romantic." Miranda teased, sucking gently on Donna's pulse point.

"Where do you want to go to dinner?" Emily asked, "I'm starving."

"Literally?" Andy looked up from her place on the couch. 

Emily smirked, "maybe?" She nudged Andy with her foot, "but that's not an answer, where do you want to eat?"

Andy looked at her phone, 6:03pm. "Actually, I was invited to a friend's place for dinner and I get a plus one. I want to take you with me."

Emily raised an eyebrow, "meeting your friends?"

"You've already met this friend, so it's not that weird."

"Is it a mutual friend?" 

"Sort of." Andy answered, not sure how else to answer. "So, will you go with me?"

"If only to satisfy my curiosity," Emily grinned.

Andy was glad that she told Emily to get ready at 6 because it took her almost a half an hour to get dressed. Emily said, in her defense, that it was hard to dress for dinner when she didn't know where they were going, but Andy refused to provide any more details. 

They took the subway had to walk the last block. Emily had only ever been to Miranda's townhouse by way of chauffeur, so she didn't recognize the route, or even the neighborhood. She only vaguely registered the front stoop for multiple reasons: a, it was usually _late_ and stressful when she arrived at Miranda's door, b, she usually opened it with her own key and c, why on Earth would Andy take her to Miranda's house?

When the front door opened and Emily and Miranda stood face to face, shock registered on both their faces. They stood staring at each other for a few minutes. 

Miranda glanced over at Andy, then, and turned back to Emily, " _you_ rebound quickly." 

"Can we come in?" Andy smiled sweetly. 

"Yes." Miranda said with a distinctly implied _duh._ She closed the door behind them, "we're just setting up in the dining room." 

Miranda _had_ been allowed to set the table. It was laid out impeccably according to Miss Manners's example. Two settings on one side of the table and two settings on the other. 

Emily was still in a state of shock at being in Miranda's townhouse on a social call. She was now officially in awe of Andy. _How the hell...?_

Donna entered the dining room, saw Emily and Andy and smiled hugely. She set the food she was carrying down on the table and approached them. Miranda motioned to them in turn, "this is Emily, my first assistant, and this is Andrea, my former second assistant." 

Andy shook her hand, "you can call me Andy, she's the only one who calls me Andrea." Andy and Donna smiled easily at each other.

"It's very nice to meet you," Emily smiled too, but she hadn't completely gotten over her shock. 

"It's great to meet you both finally, Miranda speaks so highly of you."

"Do you need help with the other dishes?" Miranda cut Donna off.

Donna smiled lovingly at Miranda. "I'm embarrassing her, I could use a hand." 

Emily moved to help, instinct taking over, because, clearly, reason and logic were nil. 

"You sit," Miranda pointed at Emily, making her take a seat immediately, "you're a guest. Relax." 

Donna and Miranda disappeared into the kitchen and Andy sat next to Emily. Emily leaned over to Andy and whispered, "I could kill you for this. No jury would convict me."

Andy grinned, "don't act like you weren't dying to meet Donna." 

Emily shrugged, "well..." 

"Miranda's not scary." 

"What strange little universe do you live in?"

Andy kissed her lips, "indulge me." 

Dinner with Miranda and Donna was easier than Emily expected, though her relaxation was facilitated by a couple glasses of wine. 

"Dinner's delicious, Donna." Andy smiled, "did Miranda help you?"

"She was a very good supervisor." Donna said tactfully.

Miranda sipped her wine, "I started a small fire, at which point I was disallowed from using the stove." Andy and Emily laughed. She raised her eyebrows, "would that I were kidding..."

Dinner turned out to be innocuous and on the way home Emily let out a loud sigh of relief, "you have balls, Andy."

"I don't!" Andy exclaimed with a laugh. 

"You wrangled an invite to Miranda fucking Priestly's? And then you didn't tell me that's where we were going. What if I'd worn something horrible?"

"I wouldn't have let you."

"Well, that's a relief." Emily rolled her eyes good naturedly, "I start letting you pick my clothes and I might as well tender my resignation."

"So did I kill my chances for future dates?" Andy laughed.

Emily paused coyly. "No." She said simply and was silent for a moment, "but if you spring Miranda on me again, warn me."

"I think that's reasonable." 

Donna and Miranda looked at the dishes in the sink and Miranda curled her lip up in distaste. "I think I'm opting to set the kitchen on fire."

Donna snorted a laugh, "you'd rather set the kitchen on fire than do your dishes?"

"I have insurance." Miranda smirked.

"I'll wash, you dry." Donna handed Miranda a dishtowel. 

Miranda took her hand and kissed it, "I've been thinking," she kissed her hand again, "I want to retire when the girls go off to college. Maybe if you're not sick of me by then I could move to Greece with you?"

Donna wrapped her arms around Miranda and kissed her properly. "I think that sounds like my idea of heaven."


End file.
